Y o H o
by T a C o C a T
Summary: When the pirates whisked her away, Lieutenant Uchiha Sasuke charged valiantly after his fiancee only to find himself defeated by and prisoner to Haruno Sakura. Now he must choose: Submit, obey, and join or W a l k T h e P l a n k. SASuSAKu NARuHiNA Au
1. Aye, Capt'n!

_**y **__o__ h_ o _**y**__ o __h_ o

When the man stepped off of his boat and onto the deck, he turned a great deal of heads. He was not a first time visitor to this port, and this was not the first time that whispers had spread like wildfire through the town upon his arrival — the head of one old gossip turning to the next to share the rumors that revolved around who, and what this man was. The real truth was that which only a handful of trustworthy people knew, and would keep a secret, for the sake of an ancient tradition.

It was the unmistakable hat that sent the accusations flying, the vibrant red one perched atop his head with the peacock feather spilling out the side. It was a good, spacious hat that did its job well — concealing most of the face of its wearer. That hat had been seen plastered on many a wanted poster above of various faces that people imagined could be the true image of the most notorious pirate ever to set sail on the seas. But no one was sure whether this hat, worn by the mysterious man who strutted deftly and unhesitatingly through the town as if he owned it, was the original or one of its many lookalikes that had been manufactured by wannabes and people who fancied a good laugh.

Some of the townsfolk would claim that it was the infamous pirate, whose reoccurring visits could be explained by an unknown attachment he held to the town. Others would say that he was merely nothing more than a devoted follower sent to run errands who loved to manifest his master's trademark. Skeptics would shake their heads, believing that he was just another pretender who wished to draw attention to himself. But none of these speculations had enough proof behind them to be taken to the authorities, to arrest the man who, whatever the case it may be, was undoubtedly up to mischief.

The man walked quickly and surely, impassive to the awestruck onlookers. It was clear that he was already aware of the location of his destination, and it was a path he had walked many times before. He trekked through the crowd which dispersed for him readily, looking forwards and nowhere else. He had business to attend to, and would not allow for distractions. He slipped out of the view of the majority and turned into an alleyway behind a middle class residential area, kicking a stone with his boot and coming to a stop in front of a back door to a small house with rotten wood and chipped paint. He knocked firmly on the door three times.

Unknown to the civilians, the real scandal was that the man was...

The door opened, and a voluptuous blond woman opened the door. Her face split into a smile, and she leaned a hip against the door frame. She stared at the man, her amber eyes twinkling with a motherly sort of fondness and tenderness. "Ah, Sakura."

Not a man at all.

"Hello, Tsunade. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

**C h a p t e r I**

_Aye, Capt'n!_

The sea was calm. Like a great, rippling, crystalline blanket thrown over the horizon it stretched on for miles and miles — the only thing that could be seen to the human eye in any direction. I stood at the side of the boat, my hand gripping the smooth railing, and breathed in the scent of salt water and freshly polished wood. Three hundred and fifty tons of Red Cherry imported from Brazil had gone into the making of the boat, sleek and slender, faster than any other and the humbling pride of the military. It was a beautiful vessel, and to stand on it while it embarked on it's maiden voyage was, I suppose, an honor.

In reality, I couldn't have cared less.

Sailing had never been, and still wasn't, something I enjoyed immensely. It was for the most part a nauseating experience, as I had yet to acquire, as other's might have put it: 'My sea legs.' But as my position in the military advanced, it was something that I would have to grow accustomed to. I would be spending a great deal more time on a boat. I let out a sigh, but the sound was last to the gently whistling wind.

"Ah, Lieutenant, was it?" A hand tapped me on the shoulder and I whirred around to find myself face to face with an older man wearing an eye patch. Tall, gravity defying ivory hair stood up on end, leaning to one side of his head. I had seen him wandering around the ship several times before, chatting with my superiors and the governor, and came to the conclusion that whoever he was, he was someone of importance. I stood up straighter and respectfully. His visible eye crinkled with his smile. "Lieutenant Uchiha, correct?"

I nodded briskly and replied with a curt "Yes sir."

"I've been hearing some impressive things about you." He spoke leisurely, as if we were old friends, leaning up against the railing and skipping past all the orthodox formalities of introduction. "Is it true that you out fenced your father, god rest his soul, a couple years ago?" He quirked a gray brow in disbelieving curiosity. 

"Yes sir, that is true." I recalled the incident with bitter nostalgia. "In his defense, however, he had a bit to drink beforehand." He chuckled lightly, his eye resting on me, looking up and down without any scrutiny.

"Hmmm." He hummed interestedly, pursing his lips together as if he were trying to decide what to do with me. I stood still and expressionless, even though his gaze was beginning to grow a little uncomfortable on my personage. "It's still quite an accomplishment. So young, too. I knew your father well. He was a good man." His words surprised me, even though it wasn't uncommon that I came across old companions of my father. My father had become a high ranked militant officer in his day, and had gotten around quite a bit. There were as many people who admired him as there were those who hated him. "Am I wrong to assume you wish to follow in his footsteps?"

I tried very hard to keep a professional facade, but my father and other members of my deceased family were a very touchy subject. I had to suppress shaking in my hands, and clenched them, hopefully unnoticed, at my side. "I intend to remain within the military, yes." I replied. The corners of his lips turned down, and he stared at me in silence once again. It gave me cause to wonder if he was trying to look through me and see something that I kept on the inside, trying to determine and categorize me, and wonder even more so if he was succeeding.

"It's very noble work." He replied finally, in such a way that I expected a 'but' to come afterwards. It didn't. Instead he changed the topic, sheepish smile returning to his aged features once more. "There's a friend of mine I'd very much like you to meet, who is also very adept with a sword. It would make for an interesting match. Someday, maybe." He said. "Oh, I almost forgot why I came over here in the first place. The cook broke his butcher's knife, and there's another set below the deck. The captain was wondering if you might fetch it for him."

"I'll see to it immediately," I replied, and he thanked me. I was eager to get away from our conversation, and him, even though I wasn't quite sure whether I liked him or not quite yet. I hurried below deck before he could pursue me further, searching for the crates marked kitchenware. The boat rocked and I stumbled, muttering a curse under my breath. 

My father had been a very traditional man who had devoted his life to the crown and had been present in my childhood infrequently. I both idolized and loathed him, and would strive constantly for his approval and recognition, rarely gaining it. My mother, who was very much in love with my father, raised us on her own to appreciate him and his work. In the eyes of my family, there was nothing more honorable than a job serving under the monarchy. And my elder brother, who had rebelled constantly against them and their ideas, had been the one to kill them both.

I can still remember the color of his blood, and how it gleamed on my blade when I drove it through his heart to reek my vengeance. It had brought me little satisfaction and even less peaceful nights of sleep. There was nothing left to me or my future but my job and my position, and I would give the rest of my life freely to service in the military. 

The boat jostled again, and a couple of crates shifted. Coming from a darkened corner behind a stack of crates came a startled, high-pitched yelp. There was a stowaway aboard the ship. Acting instinctively, I drew my sword from and crept silently towards the source of the cry. Standing on my tiptoes, sword raised and ready, I peered over the boxes and caught sight of quickly retreating dark indigo locks. I sighed and re-sheathed my weapon. "Hinata..."

"I-I'm sorry," The petite figure of my fiancée stuttered timidly, looking up with wide, frightened pale eyes. "Please don't be angry with me, Lieutenant... Please don't tell! Th... They'll throw me overboard." Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she put a curled finger to her trembling lips to still them. "I just..."

She was the heir to the respectable Hyuuga, and it was arranged long ago that to join our two families we were to be married. She was a chronically shy and not very intelligent thing, and I didn't much care for her. But marriages weren't about love, as my father once told me, they were about unity. And to go against his will, even after his death, was something I was incapable of doing. "They will not throw you overboard." I reassured her, as there were few things I hated more than to see women cry. It was incredibly annoying. "You're the daughter of a very important man. Explain to me what you are doing here."

I offered her my hand and she took it, lifting herself precariously out from behind the clever hiding place. She quivered and kept her distance, as if anticipating a serious scolding. "I'm so sorry..." She managed to force out. "It's just that I thought the sea so very pretty and I've never been on a boat before... I thought it would be fun. Please don't be angry with me."

I shook my head. We would have to turn the boat around immediately to return her back to town, but somehow, watching her on the verge of tears, I couldn't bring myself to tell the captain. "I will not inform the captain of this." I said, and her mouth cracked into a smile and started into a thank-you before I interrupted her. "But I will be notifying your cousin. He will do what he sees fit from there."

She sunk downwards, using one of the crates as a seat, as if she could no longer bear to stand. Her face paled several shades as she mouthed his name, before hiding herself behind her hands. I saw the waterworks coming and hastily retreated, forgetting momentarily about the butcher's knife until I returned above deck, and by then it was too late. I reminded myself that I would have to retrieve it later, and set out to search for Neji Hyuuga.

I was not surprised to find him with a scope pressed against his eye, looking out into empty seas. "Lieutenant." He greeted unaffectionately, wordlessly passing the scope to me. "Take a look at this. Your eyesight is as good as mine, nowadays." He pointed a finger and I pressed the magnifying tool against my eye, squinting as I stared out into the waters. There was a black speck, like an ant, on the horizon, approaching speedily. "There. Do you see it? It's coming right towards us."

"Yes." I replied. "Is it one of ours?" I handed it back to him and he extended it further before looking out at the nearing object once more. He shook his head.

"None of the other vessels in our military are charted to sail through these parts. It's probably Spanish, I'd guess by the make of it. We should alert the Captain anyway." He abandoned watching the other boat and turned hastily towards the helm, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "What is it? Do you disagree?"

"No. Hinata is hiding below deck. I found her when I went to search for a replacement knife for the cook. I figured you were better qualified to deal with her than I. I've got more important matters to attend to." I lied. "I can't be bothered with this right now."

He frowned, his eyebrows drawing together, his pale eyes ablaze with anger. "I see. You haven't told the captain yet?" I shook my head, replying that I left the decision to do that with him. "Regardless, we should decide what to do with her together. Please accompany me to see her as her fiancé, she is too, your responsibility."

I obliged reluctantly. He lead a few paces ahead of me, and I let out a frustrated sigh when I was out of ear range. Even when it was nothing more than a test run for a new ship, it was inevitable, it seemed, that something would go wrong. My work was never done, and now what was supposed to be a relaxing retrieve, (even if I had never enjoyed sailing,) would have to be ended prematurely to return my fiancée back home. Neji thundered down the steps to meet the face of his cowering, waiting younger cousin.

"Hinata, your father would be ashamed." He began, and sensing a long lecture on his part and miserable sobs on hers, I tuned out until I was required in this conversation. As he rambled on about family and honor, and the disrupted maiden voyage, I searched the room with my eyes for the stored kitchenware. "You will apologize formally to the Captain, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated again. Am I understood?" He finished.

As I spotted at last the crate marked 'Kitchen Utensils,' the first canon tore through the side of the ship, whizzing right past the three of us, and exploded against the crate I had spent so long searching for. 

Wooden debris and forks were sent flying every which direction, and the three of us hit the ground. Screams and yells of frantic orders filled the air, coming from above us, while the crew of our ship prepared a counter attack. While we had been too busy deciding what to do with the young Ms. Hyuuga, our discovery of an approaching vessel had gone unnoticed and unannounced. Neji pulled his cousin towards him protectively. "Stay below here with her and keep her out of harms way!" I bellowed at him, over the sound of scrambling bodies and firing canons. "Relocate if you must! I'm going up!"

Taking a clear shot for the stairs I ran upwards as more heavy cannonballs ripped through the freshly made ship and out the other side. The boat rocked harder than ever before, and I tripped on the stairs, preventing a fall by grabbing onto the railing. Behind me, Neji and Hinata were scurrying to safety. I gritted my teeth together, and gathering up another burst of strength, raced above the deck. It was sheer chaos. People desperately called instructions, which were ignored by the frightened and feeling crew. From the ship parallel to us, bodies swung across on ropes and invaded.

Pirates.

The first one to catch my eye was a loudmouthed blond, whose spikes of golden hair could be seen from beneath the black bandannas that whipped in the wind behind him as he sailed through he air from their ship to ours. He was screaming enthusiastic orders at his comrades, speaking so quickly and fluidly I could barely make out one word he spoke from the other. "Find the valuables, mates!" He barked, landing with a thud on the wooden deck. "Don't let anything go to waste! We're sinking this ship, and if a single galleon is lost with it, the Capt'n will have your heads!"

Mine. My target in sight, I lurched forwards, drawing my weapon. He noticed me right before I slashed through his neck and lopped of his head, blocking just in time as he stumbled backwards with a look of shock plastered on his face. "Over my dead body!" I hissed through my teeth, pushing him backwards before withdrawing and taking another lash at him.

He blocked again. "Gladly arranged, you military scum!" He replied. We engaged. Swords flying quickly, he made for a decent opponent, but not decent enough. It was clear that I was quickly gaining the upper hand and pushing him backwards, and as soon as he realized this, he retreated towards the front of the ship. I followed relentlessly in pursuit, trailing as he fled towards the helm. He turned to face me, blue eyes narrowing, and backed against the railing, flimsy sword raised defensively. "Ch. That all you got?"

He was cocky for someone who was inches from death. "You made a mistake, coming here today." I said, advancing towards him. He continued to block my blows, but they were becoming clumsier. "I could kill all of you dogs singlehandedly, if I had to." I spotted an opening, and lunged forward, stopping only a split second before penetration when his face split into an ear to ear smile.

"Sweet! We got us a whore!"

I span, horrified, as I watched some unknown figure carry my flailing fiancée across the waters and into the enemy vessel.

Instantly, there were more important things to do than kill someone not worth my killing. I ignored my previous opponent and ran as fast as my legs could carry me after Hinata's abductors, not pausing even when seeing the horrible sight that surrounded me. We had lost. Defeated, wounded soldiers attempted to pick themselves up as our victorious enemy returned to the ship with our goods. It had all been over so quickly. So unexpectedly. I fumbled around to grab a rope, fighting off any pirates that tried to bar my way.

The beautiful ship with her short lived life was sinking beneath my feet. It's passengers hurried into lifeboats. The remainder of the pirates sailed across to their vessel, and I followed afterwards, determined to at least prevent them from taking this one thing with me. I would protect her, I would rescue her, for the sake of those who could not. I wondered briefly about the fate of her older cousin, and then shook the thought out of my head. I landed on the railing of the unfamiliar ship, letting the rope I had come across on fall limp and to a rest.

I was severely outnumbered, and possibly boasting when I claimed that I could singlehandedly kill all of them. Countless hungry faces turned towards me, wearing malicious smiles, but I would not show them fear. The blond held Hinata, who struggled against his chest with tears streaking down her cheeks, sobbing hysterically and pleading to be released. "Give me back the girl." I said boldly. "And I might just let you all live."

There came laughter, from one body, and the remainder of the company fell still and silent. They shuffled out of the way as a figure emerged from the crowd of bodies, howling in chuckles as he went, clutching the sides of his dirtied shirt. On the top of his head he wore a hat. A hat that I immediately recognized, but thought to be nothing more than myth or legend. A wide-brimmed, red hat, with a peacock feather tucked into the side.

The infamous Captain Hokage was a little on the short side, I noted.

"Who is this guy?" He snorted, straightening himself upwards. I tried to catch a glimpse of his face, but could see nothing but indefinite features behind shadow, the tip of a nose, and the clean-shaved face beneath it. He did not seem to be much older than I was myself, and this astounded me. I had never thought the rumors of the timeless captain to be true, and thought, if he existed at all, that he would be an ancient, wrinkled old man. "He's hilarious! _I_ might just let _him_ live to be my monkey boy!"

The band of pirates roared with laughter. He stepped forward, his head directed towards me, a smile drawn across his lips. "Lieutenant, eh?" He said. His voice was a high, light tenor and would probably be very ineffective at striking fear into anything, let alone a seasoned soldier like myself, if that was his intention. He was quite obviously eying my uniform, and then drifted towards my sword. "Lieutenant what?"

"Lieutenant Give-me-back-the-girl-and-you-live-to-see-another-day." I replied. Swiftly, I jumped from the railing onto the deck below, satisfied that I was a good head taller than my opponent. A couple of the crew reached for weapons, but the Captain dismissed them with a wave of his hand. He took another few steps forwards, until we were only feet apart, and rested his hand on the hilt of his own sword.

"Is that so...?" He said thoughtfully. His small, slender hand then reached up towards and skimmed the brim of his hat in display. "Well I bet you my hat that you can't match my swordplay, Lieutenant Give-me-back-the-girl-and-you-live-to-see-another-day." He mocked playfully, drawing himself up and unsheathing a well crafted sword. "In fact, if you are the triumphant end of our duel, I _will_ give you back the girl AND grant you save voyage on my vessel to wherever your whimsical desire may take you." He slipped into fencing position, extending the blade of his sword in offer. "En garde?"

"I don't want your hat." I replied haughtily. "No self respecting person would wear such a ridiculous thing. But I accept your offer, regardless. I must inform you, however, that this deal is in my favor. My fencing skills are unparalleled in these parts."

It was somewhere before I had finished speaking, but the Captain froze, dumbfounded. His subordinates wore similar expressions, and remained as silent as death. "You..." He whispered, the sound that emerged from his throat sounding choked and squeaky. "You _insulted my hat_!" He reared himself up, furious, and let out an offended scoff. "Well, I must inform you that your fencing skills might have been unparalleled in these parts — that is until I arrived in these parts. You won't be able to so much as remove this hat from my head, insolent swine! En garde!" 

Even before I had the chance to react, he had thrown himself towards me, and suddenly I was overwhelmed by the wild thrashing and brandishing of his weapon in my general direction. I managed to meet most of them with my own sword, but a few managed to slice through a sleeve or pant leg, not deeply enough to meet flesh. I was being pushed backwards quickly by the fury blinded blows, but the Captain's irrational behavior had given me the advantage. The inability to think calmly and logically is a serious and common flaw found in most fencers who fancy themselves talented.

It wasn't long before I was the one advancing on him, forcing him into the defensive as he retreated backwards and redirected his energy into keeping up with me. The crew cheered him on wholeheartedly, crying out in worry and tossing in advice and insults directed at me as I pushed him back towards the other end of the boat. "C'mon, Capt'n! Stop going easy on him!" The blond yelled. Hinata had fallen limp in his arms, watching with her teeth against her nails in anxiety. But she had no reason to worry, it was only that idiot who didn't realize that the Captain _wasn't_ going easy on me.

The Captain scowled, turning his lips downwards and bearing his teeth. He was pulling out only the most desperate of moves now, jumping around erratically in an attempt to confuse or deter me momentarily. I swiped when he tried to swivel out of the way, cutting through the loosely fit, stained white shirt that spotted with freshly drawn blood. He gasped in surprise, and I took his pause as an opportunity to knock the hat off his head with the back of my other hand triumphantly.

I froze.

Pink hair tumbled down to _her_ shoulders, and _she_ stood there, stunned, green eyes wide with surprise.

I had been fighting with a ... The legendary Captain Hokage was a..! "Woman??" I spluttered.

But that was it. I had been floored so wholly by her unexpected identity that I could do nothing to defend myself when she snapped back into her senses and slashed at me besides stumble backwards, where a protruding leg was waiting to trip me. I fell over onto my behind, and her sword rested at my throat. Hinata called out in protest and burst into cries once more as I dared to look up into the furious emerald orbs of the Captain of the pirate ship.

She looked enraged for only a short while longer, before a victorious grin edged it's way onto her features. "Take the wench to the brig!" For a moment I thought she was referring to Hinata, but then she continued. "Maybe I'll have a little fun with him later, eh?" She threw her head back and laughed, and the rest of the crew joined her in a loud chorus.

I watched, kicking and struggling against a couple of burly crew members who were dragging me below deck, as the Captain squatted next to her hat and shoved it back on her head with an angry huff.

_A P i r a t e s L i f e F o r M e_


	2. The Black Spot

W h a t D o Y o u D o W i t h A D r u n k e n S a i l o r

"It's a pity I didn't get the chance to observe it. Was his style to your taste, Sakura? I'm sure he would have made for a challenging opponent."

"Pfft." The cotton-candy haired Captain replied, blowing the feather that hung in between her eyes off to the side as to better look at the man standing before her. "He wasn't much different than any other officers that I've dueled before. Stuffy. Pompous. Over-confident. I was unimpressed," there never was much hope in attempting to lie around him, as he always could see through her childish untruths, but for the sake of her bruised ego and battered pride she denied the difficulty that she had truthfully found in defeating the talented Lieutenant. In fact, it wouldn't be going overboard to say that he was indeed the most challenging enemy that she had faced yet. "And that's Captain Sakura to you."

He laughed softly, taking a polite bow for show as he swept an imaginary hat of his own off of his head. "My apologies, _Captain_ Sakura." He corrected, straightening himself out and looking down on the woman fondly. "May I ask what you intend to do with the 'unimpressive' Lieutenant Uchiha and his bride to be?"

"What I did with the rest of them, of course." She replied with a grin, but it faded slowly as her concern became evident. "Are you sure you're going to be alright here? How long will it take for someone to find you?"

"A couple days, at most." He replied. "I have enough food until then. An ally vessel is supposed to take this route home, and they'll likely have enough room for all of them, myself included. And besides," He added, patting a rectangular bulge in his pocket. "I have some reading to catch up on. I'll keep myself entertained."

She shook her head but could not fight the way that her lips curled in amusement at his predictability. He, at least, had stayed the same after all these years. "As long as you're sure you'll be all right. You know you're always welcome aboard my ship." She said, rising to her feet and beginning to make her way back across the wreckage that had once been the new pride and joy of the military, but paused to look over her shoulder and call back one last time. "And Kakashi, thanks again for the tip-off. They're always so helpful."

**C h a p t e r I I**

_The Black Spot_

I was quite unsure how long I remained shackled below the deck of the Pirate ship, which rocked and swayed with the rolling waves, feeling sick to my stomach and wishing desperately that I had remained in my bed this morning. The dizzying movements of the boat were not the only contributor to my nausea, for it worsened ever time a thought of Hinata crossed my mind. She was small and defenseless, and knowing the nature of pirates, easy access to dirty pleasure.

I wasn't sure whether to be grateful or resentful that I had skipped breakfast that morning, because if I had anything more to upset, I surely would have vomited. But my stomach also growled in discontent at being empty, and scraped at itself, begging for a necessary meal. I ignored it for the most part, but the poor conditions of my being were only growing increasingly frustrating, and at times I felt rather miserable.

Each time I came up with an estimate time wise, it either seemed much too short or much too long a period to be reasonable. My head lolled limply in between my shoulders, moving in unison with the boat, as I lacked both the strength and willpower to hold it upright. I was ashamed. Humiliated. I had been easily defeated in one of the fields I took the most pride in, and by a woman, no less. I could hardly call myself a man after such an incident.

There was a creak of weight on the stairs, but I didn't bother to look up. I could care less if it were that thing they called a Captain or one of her faithful underlings, come to finish me off or bring me news of my decided upon release. Footsteps approached, and I could soon feel a presence looming over me. "Oi." A familiar male voice called. I immediately recognized it as that of the irritating blond's. "Are you alive?"

I didn't reply. What more could they do to me besides strip me of my pride and reduce my status to nothing more than a prisoner to some of the most vile, despicable creatures on the planet? Their prisoner. Defeated and destroyed. He squatted down to eye level, craning his neck and trying to get a glimpse at my lowered face. I stared uninterestedly into the cerulean eyes that met mine, before directing them elsewhere. "So you are alive." He said. "In that case, I brought you some dinner."

"Not hungry." I grumbled.

"The Captain thought you'd say that, you ungrateful scum." He scoffed, waving a plate of food under my nose. The scent caught me off guard, and I was consumed by my insatiable hunger. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, trying to ignore the desperate call of starvation. My eyes followed the food was being withdrawn back towards him, the bread and meat and chuck of cheese that although far from gourmet, couldn't have seemed more appetizing. "She told me to tell you that your Fiancée doesn't get fed until after you've eaten every thing off of this plate."

Although he had already convinced me with the display of edible food, it would make for a good excuse as to why I had so willingly been coerced into eating, despite my stubborn nature. "What have you done with Hinata?" I demanded anyway, decided to milk what I had for all it was worth. "I'll eat if you tell me what you've done with her."

"Oh, that's no secret." He replied, setting the plate of food down on the dusty wooden floor, where it was now in constant eyesight. I started salivating. "She and the Captain have been chatting for hours, now. They're already great friends." Momentarily, my attention was drawn away from the food.

"Don't joke with me." I said. I did not find his sarcasm amusing, only portraying him as even more obtuse. He had seen firsthand what I could do with a sword, and should have known better than to test my patience. "Where are you keeping her?"

He rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue immaturely. "I don't see why you won't believe me." He said. The boat tipped and the plate skidded an inch or so off center, the bread and cheese tumbling over each other. "I'm telling you the truth."

Despite the fact that there was little indication of falsehood in his tone or mannerisms, I still had difficulty believing him. Well, could I honestly be expected to accept the ridiculous notion that Hinata was walking around freely on board, making friends with the cut throat pirates? "I don't know." I hissed callously, narrowing my eyes in a glare that before, had seemed so much more effective at intimidating others. "Maybe it had something to do with the way you expressed your excitement and gaining a 'whore' during our previous battle. And you say I should have no reason to fear for her wellbeing."

He laughed. As if what I said were absolutely preposterous, and I were the one making myself out to be a fool and not he. "Oh, I just said that to distract you." He replied, slapping his knee and treating the situation as nothing but a silly misunderstanding. Was it? "If I hadn't, you'd have run me through! Can you blame me? Rule number one, don't take anything a pirate says to heart. They're frequent liars."

"I'll keep that in mind." But, in reality, there was nothing more confusing and frustrating to think about then when someone claimed to be a liar. If that was the case, how could I assume anything he said to be true? How could I even be sure that he was telling the truth about being a liar? "I still don't believe you, and I still don't trust you. But hear me this, for every tear you make that girl cry, I'll make you cry ten."

He let out an exasperated exhale, flopping onto his backside and settling in for what I assumed would be a conversation. I just wanted him to leave me in peace so I could eat, and possibly catch a few hours of precious sleep before falling into whatever the Captain and her crew had in store for me. "All you people are the same." He began in a monotonous whine. "Everyone is so quick to assume that pirates do nothing but rape, plunder and pillage. Plunder and pillage, sure, why not? We have to make a living too."

"A dishonest living is worse than none at all." I cut in. He pouted, clearly displeased by interruptions, and gave me a look as if to tell me to keep quiet before continuing.

"No one makes an honest living," He said. "Let's get that straight. If you're not stepping on people to climb to the top of the social or ranking ladder, you're supporting someone who does, whether you know it or not. Thieves make just an honest living as anyone else — they take from others to satisfy their needs. Everybody does it. Humans do it." For the first time since I had the misfortune of meeting him, I was speechless. Even if I was not quite ready to accept or agree with it, he did to some extent have a point.

"Even we pirates have rules and morales." He said proudly, sticking a sun burnt nose upwards. "We do not violate defenseless women. We do not take from those who cannot afford to be taken from. And we do not kill unnecessarily." And just before I almost felt something akin to admiration towards the man before me, he grinned sheepishly. "Those are the Captain's three rules." For a moment, I almost believed he had thought that up all by himself. "Now are you going to eat?"

"I can't." I replied truthfully, yanking on the shackles that bound me to the wall. "What do you expect me to eat with, my feet?"

He blinked a few times, seemingly puzzled, before reaching for a ring of keys that hung from his waist. "The Captain didn't say anything about that." He said, inserting a small rusted key into the keyhole and releasing one arm, then the other. I massaged my sore wrists. "But she did make it pretty clear that you were to eat, and I suppose you're right."

Imbecile. The use of fists were not my preferred method of fighting, but they were the only weapons I currently were in possession of. I drove one into his face, and while he fell over backwards in a daze, took the opportunity to dart towards the stairs and agape door that could lead to both my Fiancée and my freedom. I reached the top step, and cool night air hit my face, and I felt the sharp sting of metal at my neck. I went immobile, and looked up to meet the unamused eyes of a waiting Captain.

She stepped forwards, and I had no options other than to take one the opposite direction or be impaled. She drove me backwards until I was well back into the room that had held me as its prisoner, and within arms length of a furious blond pirate, who threw me to the ground and reattached the shackles, grumbling incoherent things to himself. "Naruto, please don't tell me you were honestly stupid enough to fall for such a thoughtless trick?" She inquired, directing her voice at her subordinate, who rose to face her abashedly. "I'll take it from here, lest you kill us all." 

"Sorry, Capt'n." He muttered, before excusing himself and returning to the upper level which I had almost been within reach of escaping to. I glowered at her as she approached, bent down and swooped the displaced plate of food off of the floor, and held it in an outstretched hand towards me. I took in the scent, and my stomach growled.

"And did you honestly think that you could escape? With no sword and no guns? Just what did you intend to do after reaching the deck, pray tell?" I didn't reply, seeing as her question was more or less rhetorical, and she didn't appear to be expecting an answer. "All this trouble over a little bit of food." She sat down vis-a-vis me, cross legged, and began to break the bread into bite sized pieces. For a moment I thought, horrified, that she was going to eat it in front of me, but instead she held a chunk between her thumb and forefinger near my mouth, implying that I should take it from her. "Open."

I pursed my lips and turned my head away in distaste. "First you eat, and then we can discuss what is to be done with you, Lieutenant Give-me-back-the-girl-and-you-live-to-see-another-day, if that is the only name you will give me." I did not relent, and refused to meet her insistent green eyes, which would no doubt only persuade me to oblige her further. She frowned scornfully, frustrated by my defiance. If I would not submit to her willingly, it seemed, she would force me to comply to her will. She grabbed my chin with a surprisingly strong grip for fingers that had seemed so slender and dainty, and wrenched my jaw apart, popping the morsel into my mouth. Her finger hesitated on my lip. "Chew."

It was not necessary for her to order me to do so, for the moment the food had hit my tongue I was no longer in control of whether I did or not. I was so eager to get it down and into my stomach that I nearly swallowed it whole. When she was satisfied that my mouth was empty, she gave me the next piece, and then the next, until we had made a decent sized dent in the plate. "There." She said contentedly. "Not so difficult, eh?"

"Where's Hinata?" I asked with a full mouth. The Captain set the empty plate aside and leaned back, giving me an unreadable stare as I chewed furiously. I swallowed the remainder of the food in a large gulp, and waited for her reply. She drummed her fingers along the floor, making fingerprints in the dust.

"She is free to do what she pleases on my vessel so long as she does not oppose us, and will be accommodated if she earns her keep." She replied, and this time, I actually believed it was true. "I hold no quarrel with her. She's a very nice girl. You, on the other hand," she grinned. "Are clearly a different matter. Shall I give you your options, Lieutenant?"

I finally noticed that her head lacked the hat she had seemed so proud of only hours earlier. It made me wonder if it was only for show, a mask to keep her true identity from enemies in hopes of creating a more intimidating facade. Pastel pink tresses of hair cascaded to her shoulders, uncommonly short in this day and age, knotted and clearly poorly cared for. She was still sporting dirtied male clothing, the bloodstained white blouse that we had battled in, faded black pants, and shiny black boots. And despite her ragged appearance and unladylike behavior — she was still astonishingly beautiful.

She was going to give me my options whether I asked for them or not, so I sat back and waited for her to continue. "We're not going to feed dead weight." She said, brushing her hair over her shoulder. "You will be given regular meals if you agree to do your share of the work, just like everyone else on this ship. You will abide by our rules. You will make no further attempts to escape or harm the crew. In other words, you can join us."

"I would never--!" I began, selecting a few choice words to describe what exactly I would never join, but she interrupted me before I had the chance to call her and her people crude names.

"_Or_," she continued, ignoring my outburst. "You can starve here if you refuse. That could have been your last meal, if you choose it to be so. Your third option, if you prefer a shorter, painless means of death — is to walk the plank." 

I'd join them or I'd die.

She knew the what the obvious choice would be, and began to elaborate into that. "I think they could use some help down in the kitchen. Ever washed dishes before, Lieutenant? Or we could use some muscle up on the deck, hoisting anchors and such. The crew is getting fa-,"

"I'll walk the plank."

Her face went blank, her words came to a halt. She stared at me in disbelief, or as if she wasn't quite sure if she had heard what I had said correctly. Of course, to join them would be the obvious choice — but I had never been much of an obvious person. I would rather die than cooperate with them, join them. I would never become the thing which I had devoted my life and career into stopping. I would not be swallowed by the filthy, disgusting, thieves of pirates.

Besides, even if that wasn't my absolute resolution, they wouldn't kill me. Rule number one: Never take anything a pirate says to heart. The Captain's third rule: We don't kill unnecessarily. She was doing nothing more than trying to make me believe that I had no other option besides joining them then to die.

Her face hardened, her glare turning icy. "So be it." She spat. She picked herself up and gave me a heated stare before turning to storm above the deck. She was offended that I hat not accepted her offer, and made a conspicuous display of her displeasure, taking huffy stomps up each of the steps. When reaching the top, she cupped her hands around her mouth and called out for all to hear. "He walks the plank in the morning, mates!" To be met by excited whoops and cheers and a loud cry of dismay from my fiancée.

--

Needless to say, I did not get much sleep that night. If it were not the thoughts of an impending possible death, the churning in my stomach caused by the rocking boat kept me wide awake. I was surprised to find that there were only a few precious hours of night remaining until daybreak, and felt that the morning had come around much too fast. If I was wrong, and something went horribly awry in my plan, then the consequences would be severe, and I had not thought of a backup scheme if that were the case. The door to the brig cracked open, and a stream of light spilled into the room. I squinted, my eyes adjusting to the light, as a silhouette approached.

"So, do they teach you how to swim in the military?" The whisker-cheeked blond asked, sword raised, as he undid the locks on my shackles. "Maybe you can dog paddle for a while before you get eaten by a shark, eh?" He snorted in laughter, as if my death were a hilarious topic, and kept his sword at my neck as I rose, prepared for any attempts at attacking that I might take. "The Capt'n is ready for yah, now." 

Clearly, my execution was not a solemn event among pirates. They laughed and jeered as the blond steered me out of the brig and aboard the deck, all but Hinata, who wailed loudly and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief while two unknown women put tender hands on her shoulder, to console and hold her back if she tried to get to me. "J-just do what they ask, p-please!" She sobbed, and nothing else intelligible came out of her mouth.

The captain stood with a grin on the railing nearest to the helm, gripping a rope that dangled from the mast for support. "Top of the morning, Lieutenant!" She called buoyantly, giving an over exaggerated mock salute. The blond's sword dug into my back, urging me forwards as I walked with dignity onto the wooden plank that loomed over the dangerous waters below, steadying myself as it bounced under my weight. "Thank you kindly, Naruto. I'll take it from here." She swung from the rope down onto the deck below, unsheathing her sword as she went, and the pirate stepped backwards to make way.

She assumed his position, raising her sword to my back and pushing me out towards the end of the plank. The blond, Naruto, wandered over towards Hinata, and I watched as he swung a heavy arm over her shoulder. She cried shamelessly into his chest. Unable to look at her any longer, I tore my eyes away and directed them downwards into the water below. Waves crashed against each other mercilessly, waves that could so easily tear a fragile body apart, and covered the endless dark abyss of sea below.

No, they didn't teach me how to swim in the military. 

"Got your affairs in order, Lieutenant? Any last requests?" 

"Go kill yourself." I snapped. She snickered, and the pressure of the tip of her sword left my back. She stepped of the plank and put her hands on her hips, giving a sweep of her hand and gesturing at me to take the jump when I peered at her over my shoulder.

I snapped my head back forwards and looked out into the horizon. Any moment now she would call me back, defeated, and agree to take me back to land. My toes shifted over the edge of the plank. "Give me your name before you die, won't you, Lieutenant?" She implored. "I'd hate to let you die without knowing at least your name. The one besides Give-me-back-the-girl-and-you-live-to-see-another-day, of course." At the words 'die' Hinata wailed louder.

"Uchiha." I said. "Uchiha Sasuke."

There was a flicker of recognition in her eyes, a moment of unidentifiable expression on her face. Then it was gone. "Well, it wasn't much of a pleasure to know you, Lieutenant Uchiha Sasuke. May god rest your soul in peace."

She waited. I waited. It was an internal, mental battle now. We had no swords. She waited for me to turn back and beg her forgiveness, agreeing to her conditions, and I waited for her call me back and set me free.

"Such a pity to waste such a pretty face, though."She said, trying to delay and stall. A few of the crew members chuckled. "You know, if you change your mind... There is room for one more on my ship."

"I'll take my chances with the sharks, thanks."

"_Please_!" Hinata cried. 

The loudmouthed blond patted her on the back, something that I guess was supposed to be a comforting gesture but looked more like he was tying to knock something she was chocking on out of her windpipe. "Don't worry, he's bluffing." He said, loud enough for me to hear, even though it was clearly intended as a gentle reassurance. "He doesn't have the guts to do it."

With that, I jumped into the icy depths waiting below.

E a r l y I n T h e M o r n i n g


	3. Impasse

F i f t e e n M e n O n A D e a d M a n ' s C h e s t

There was a splash, the sound of the Captain's indignant shriek — and then nothing but a stunned silence. Not even the distressed cries of the Hyuuga heiress filled the air any longer, she had fainted the moment that his figure dropped out of sight and into the deathly waters below, and her limp body was now supported by the rigid arms of a dumbstruck Naruto. When the look of horror faded from her face, Sakura stood up a bit straighter, and resumed her normal prideful conduct, jutting out her lower jaw and letting out a belligerent 'hmph.'

It was Naruto who finally braved to break the silence, entrusting the inanimate girl in his arms to Ino and Tenten, who attempted to hoist her back to her feet and slapped her face a couple times gently in hopes of reawakening her. "Um... Capt'n? He actually jumped." He stated the imperatively obvious. There was a moment or two of restored muteness, and the Captain's face crumpled into a fierce scowl.

"Are you daft, man? Do you think I didn't actually notice him throwing himself to his own death?" She demanded vehemently. Like watching a candle blow out, she fumed for a little while longer before her face broke into a confident grin. "Don't worry lads, he'll come spluttering back up to the surface in no time, asking for our assistance. And what we'll we do then? We'll make him beg! Grovel! Get down on his knees and plead." She let out a breezy laugh, but the others remained silent, unconvinced. 

Naruto wandered over to the edge of the boat, where none of the others dared venture near should what they fear be confirmed, and peered fretfully over the edge. "Bubbles means he's breathing at least, right, Capt'n?" He asked, biting down on his lower lip. 

"That is correct." She replied delightedly. "See, men? There's nothing to worry about. He's absolutely--"

"Sorry to interrupt Capt'n." He muttered quietly, turning to face her with a grim expression. "But there be no bubbles."

**C h a p t e r I I I**

I woke up in a fit of coughs. Awful, incessant, painful coughs in which I could hardly take breaths in between. My throat was hoarse and it burned, my eyes itched and stung. My muscles ached from fighting desperately against crushing pounds of water. I was in a strange bed, wearing strange clothes, and my hair was still damp and clung to my head.

"Are you suicidal, Lieutenant?" An irate voice demanded. I looked up to meet the ferocious viridian eyes of an equally sopping Captain, looming over my bed. Behind her stood the ever faithful blond companion, dripping water onto the floor, wearing a similar expression. "First you barge onto my vessel, unaccompanied, threatening an entire company of pirates — and then you toss yourself into an unsettled sea when you clearly don't have the first idea how to swim. So as I see it, you are either suicidal, much too confident in yourself, an idiot, or more than likely all three."

I might have come up with something in my defense, if I had a moment of time to do so in between the unbearable spells of choking and hacking. I resisted the urge to vomit. It had been my first experience contacting salt water, and it was an unpleasant one. The Captain held no sympathy for me, it seemed, judging by her merciless glower. Eventually I gained control of the coughing, catching my breath in a relieved sigh. "Well, do you have anything to say for yourself? Your stubbornness nearly got the both of us killed."

"No, _your_ stubbornness nearly got the both of us killed." I retorted. If she had only relented and called me back sooner, I wouldn't have been driven over the edge in desperation. I wouldn't lie and claim that Naruto's taunts had nothing to do with it, either. "We both know that you wouldn't have let me died, you failure as a pirate."

She took in a sharp, brisk inhale. "Don't you try to pin this on me, you careless military scum. Your indebted to me for saving your worthless life, at nearly the cost of my own--!"

"It's your own fault, _Captain_, that you tried to unsuccessfully convince me to join your band of criminals by threatening my life, and being unable to follow through with that very threat. I only did as I was told. Your own hypocrisy was what drove you into that situation, claiming you were able to kill me--,"

"We've unfortunately never encountered anyone thickheaded enough to actually jump!"

"No, you've never encountered anyone brave enough!"

"For the love of all things holy, will you two please SHUT UP? _Both_ of you stubborn mules nearly got ALL of us killed!" The blond bellowed, the sound of his voice drowning out our childish bickering and causing it to come to an abrupt halt. Her head snapped over her shoulder, and she gave him a warning look, reminding him instantly of his position and setting him back in his place. "Sorry, Capt'n." He mumbled, lowering his head.

"So," The Captain began again, settling her eyes back on me. "You can repay your debt by working it off as a part of my crew. Am I making myself clear, Lieutenant? This isn't optional any longer." She bent over nearer to me, so close I could smell the stale scent of salt coming from the damp clumps of rosette hair that dangled above my nose. "You will become my devoted servant even if death would be a preferable alternative to you. You owe me and I expect it to be paid in full."

"I owe you nothing!" I hissed, holding my ground as she slammed her fist against the nightstand table, causing the drawers to bump into each other and clatter. "I did not ask for you to follow in after me, and hold no obligation to you. You cannot force me into doing anything, as much as that might displease you, _Captain._"

She seethed, and I could hear the click of her teeth grinding against each other. "We'll see if you feel the same way after a week or so without food or water." She rose and span haughtily, tromping towards the door that stood ajar, Naruto waiting silently at it's side. She paused in the door frame, giving me a final glare. "And this time, I could honestly care less if you starved!" She hollered, and slammed the door behind her as she stormed out onto the deck. I could hear her increasingly distancing calls of frustration as she retreated to wherever she felt she must go. "Insufferable! Ingrate! And to think I put my mouth on _that_!"

Naruto remained behind even after she was gone, staring at me expressionlessly. "I'm impressed." He said at last, breaking the awkward silence. "I didn't honestly think you'd do it. Do you really hate us that much?"

"Yes." I replied unhesitatingly.

He approached the bedside, tucking the drawers which were spilling out the front of the nightstand table back into place, briefly wiping the dust off the top, and then using it as a seat. "I don't think I've ever seen the captain so unhappy to have saved someone's life before." He chuckled. "So, if it's of any consolation, I don't think she likes you much, either."

I rested my head back against the pillow, and sighed deeply. "It's not quite so bad after a while." He continued. I didn't understand why it was that he was making an effort to converse with me at all, seeing as I had made it quite clear that as a pirate, I loathed him, and wished for nothing to do with him. Maybe he just liked to hear himself talk. "Most of our crew started out like you. Forced to earn their keep with us because they had no other option. They all had a change of heart, though. Living amongst pirates, you'll fall in love with the life style eventually."

"I can assure you that it won't be the same with me." I replied in full confidence.

"Yeah, I thought so too." He scoffed, and I looked up at him, surprised. "Yeah, yeah. I was one of you self-righteous nutters once, too. Thought it would be fun. Wearing a fancy uniform, picking off the bad guys. Trust me, _Lieutenant_, military life is bleak in comparison to," he motioned around the room. "This."

"If you're trying to tell me your life story, or something, I regret to inform you that I'm completely uninterested." I lied. "Save your breath." He 'tsk'-ed in annoyance, and hopped off of the nightstand table, landing with a quiet 'thud' onto the floor. He finger combed through the tufts of sun-kissed hair, carefully avoiding the black bandanna that held them in order. I thought, hoped, that maybe he would leave me be to catch a few more hours of blissful sleep, but he instead extended a hand towards me. 

"Alright then. Capt'n says I have to take you back to the brig, if you're still dead set on being our prisoner." I ignored his hand and sat upright on my own, pulling my aching body out of the bed with difficulty. I stumbled, my vision going blurry, and gripped onto the nightstand table for support. "Geez." He muttered. "That attitude of yours really is going to get you killed, one day."

When we stepped out of the well lit room that I assumed to be the Captain's quarters, judging by it's location, heads turned our direction. Obviously, the members of the crew were more interested in watching me walk slowly and sloppily behind Naruto towards the brig than in what they were supposed to be doing. I spotted the two girls that had been there to support her, but Hinata was no where in sight.

The brig was damp and smelled of mold, just as I had remembered it. Naruto directed me towards the wall, where unoccupied shackles and chains lay waiting for me. When he was satisfied that I was going nowhere, he turned to make his exit, waiting briefly before climbing up the steps. "When you're ready to give up, just shout. If you can." The sound of his laughter followed him out the door.

And I was left alone to rot.

--

The first few hours went by quickly. I dozed occasionally when I could, and plotted murder when I could not. There was little else I could do for temporary relief from my upset stomach, and the starts of an inevitably excruciating migraine. It had been a long time since I had felt so sick. It was not just the sea sickness now, but the after effects of swallowing too much salt water, sleep deprivation, the beginning of hunger, and whatever other contributors there might have been. I tried my best to ignore it.

There was no way of telling time in the dark brig, so I could do nothing besides guess. It was more than likely the start of the afternoon, if not a little longer, when the door creaked open and I heard giggling and thumping on the stairs as two people tripped over each other. I looked up to watch the two girls I had seen earlier clamber down the stairs, simpering with their hands over their mouths and their faces flushed. One was blond, her hair pulled back — and the other brunette, her hair tied in two knots on either side of her head. They wore tattered dresses with dirty bodices, but didn't seem to mind much. "Shh!" The blond whispered to the other. "The captain will have our heads if she hears us."

I turned my head away, pretending that I hadn't seen them come in. I was accustomed to this kind of behavior around me coming from women, who would flirt and wave their handkerchiefs, 'yoohoo'-ing whenever I walked around town. I could see their skirts dance across the floor out of the corner of my eye. "So this is the Captain's pet up close, huh?" The brunette said. "He looks even more handsome. You know Ino, I would love to snatch myself a man in uniform. I'll have to wait for the next one to come along, though." She sighed. "It would break poor dear Hinata's little heart."

"Are you kidding?" The one she had called Ino laughed. "Have you seen the way Hinata makes eyes at Naruto? She follows him around like a devotedly love-stricken puppy. Naruto, of course, is oblivious. You might have to wait for the next one to come along anyway, just because I think I've taken a liking to this one. I've always been fond of the brooding types."

I figured they must have either thought me to be asleep or deaf, because they rambled on as if I weren't there. But this was confirmed as false when the blond leaned over, locks of hair swaying over her shoulder, and smiled sweetly at me. "Are you enjoying your stay on the ship, solider? Are they accommodating you well?" I ignored her.

"Ino, don't tease him!" The brunette called without conviction, the amusement evident in her voice. 

Ino's eyes lingered on my face, but not enough to make me feel self conscious. "Not going to answer, hm? That's quite alright. I like the silent types, too." Her fingers brushed my bangs, and I recoiled. "Oh?" Her voice raised a pitch. "Or is it that you fancy the Captain? You didn't seem to mind quite so much when _she_ touched you."

I was about to respond that I'd love nothing more than to see her hang, but someone else stole the opportunity to speak. "You two!" Came the Captain's enraged call from the top of the stairs. "If you feel like joining the prisoner, that can be arranged. Otherwise, get up here and back to work before I eliminate your rations!" The two girls giggled, and scurried upwards, their heads lowered like guilty dogs.

"You know, Captain." Ino said as she reached the top step, pausing next to the pink-haired women. "If you're really so worried about his debt to you, you can always force him to repay it with his body. Your first rule never mentioned anything about violating defenseless _men_!" Then came shrieks of laughter as they fled, and a horrified gasp from the Captain.

"Begone, you skanks!" She cried furiously, and the door slammed shut.

As the day wore on, I could begin to feel the full effects of illness sinking in. My vision flickered in and out of focus. I found myself for the most part absent minded, frequently forgetting where I was and why, and it started to take me longer and longer to remember again. I would sit for twenty minutes, and then forty, and then hours — frantically trying to recall the events that had happened earlier that had lead to me chained and sick in a unfamiliar brig. There was pain. I knew what it felt like to feel weak and hopeless.

They had broken me. I could think of nothing else but how direly I needed food and drink, a warm soft bed, and some tea to soothe my itchy throat. I had no idea what time it was. How many hours, maybe days, even — that I had been subjected to such isolated torture. But just as I was about to call out, relenting reluctantly to preserve my sanity, everything went blank.

As I came back into my senses, I was more terrified than the other times to find myself in the conditions that I found myself in. I wanted to call for help, but my throat was dry. I couldn't breath other than in desperate pants and wheezes. I honestly could have sworn that I was about to die. Then the door cracked open, and the blurry outline of a dark-haired woman appeared, walking uncertainly towards me.

Who? I squinted. "Mom?" I managed to force from my throat. She knelt beside me and I could see her more clearly, enough so to determine that she was definitely not my mother.

"No..." She muttered quietly. "It's me. Oh, S-Sasuke... You look terrible. I brought you s-some food..." A shaking hand held a plate of food out towards me. My stomach churned. Food suddenly seemed less appealing.

"Who are you?" I demanded. My voice cracked. "I don't know you."

"It's H-Hinata..." She stuttered, her voice quivering. The hand held the food towards me again, but I rejected it, turning my head. "Are you alright?" A hand touched my forehead, and I shied away, unnerved by a foreign touch. The hand withdrew, followed by a startled inhale. "You're burning up..." Her voice dimmed, and then faded away. I could hear nothing but her lips were moving quickly, trying to call out to me, saying something that I didn't understand.

She grabbed my by the shoulders and shook gently, snapping me into a state of better awareness. "You have to stay awake..." She pleaded, her pearl-like eyes wide with concern. "Oh no..."

I wanted to go to sleep. I just wanted to go to... A door burst open, followed by loud cries of protest as two more strangers stormed below the deck of the boat. I studied them briefly, one male one female, one blond and the other with peculiar pink hair. The woman, dressed in men's clothing, dragged the man about by the ear, hissing angry things at him as they went. The girl who called herself Hinata went pale and stiff, letting out a quiet squeak of surprise.

"I put you on guard. I told you that she would try to sneak him food, and under no circumstances were you to allow her to pass — so you better explain to me why she is down here, Naruto, with food, trying to feed him!" The strange woman hollered. The blond shrunk backwards, raising an arm defensively in front of his face as if anticipating an attack.

"Sorry, Capt'n! But how could I refuse such a face?" Captain, he called her? How ridiculous. Pink-haired women didn't pilot pirate ships, not in this world. I must be dreaming, I concluded. My head nodded limply in between my shoulders, and my eyelids drifted shut. Sleep. I just wanted to sleep, even if I were already sleeping and this were all naught but a terrible dream. 

"P-please don't be angry with me, Captain..." Hinata stammered in a timidly quiet plea, looking up apologetically to the pink-haired Captain who loomed over us threateningly. "He's very sick... And delusional. He doesn't even recognize m-me."

Why would I recognize her? I had never seen that woman before in my life! I had never seen any of them! I had no idea who they were, or what they wanted with me. "Of course I'm not angry with you, Hinata." She replied with genuine honesty, reaching forwards to give her a tender, forgiving pat on the head. "You poor sweet girl. Now let's see what's the matter with him." She squatted, rocking backwards on the heel of her boots and looking me in the eye.

"Get away from me." I snapped. "What do you want? Let me go! Why am I here? Who are you?"

"Lieutenant, calm down." She replied, her expression hardening. I ignored her, firing off more demanding questions. "Lieutenant Uchiha!"

"Lieutenant Uchiha is my father! I have no idea what you're talkin bou..." I started, but the words died in my throat as I was struck by a dizzy spell, and could force out nothing comprehensible any longer, only frightened grumbles and grunts. The room span, the colors mixing together, green and pink running into each other... I waited for my head to still before attempting to speak again. "What have you done to me?" I gasped.

The pink-haired Captain frowned. "Naruto, fetch someone to get me some tea, honey, and my bag. The come back and help me carry him back to my quarters. He needs a proper bed." The blond she had addressed nodded, before turning away and hurrying back up to wherever it was he had come from. "Geez, Sasuke." She spoke. "I'm getting really sick and tired of sparing and saving your life."

I would remember nothing else until I woke up again.

--

I had been cured, it seemed, of even my sea-sickness induced nausea. Whatever she had done to me, I would admit only to myself, had been of magical proportions. When I opened my eyes I felt as if a terrible weight had been lifted off of my chest, and I could breathe much easier. I lay staring at the ceiling for a while, thinking back and feeling embarrassed for uttering such insane things earlier on that night. The Captain sat at the foot of what was more than likely her bed, the upper half of her body sprawled across the blankets as she dozed.

She looked peaceful, but exhausted. There was a fading, but still noticeable dark underline beneath her closed eyes. The tresses of delicately shaded roseate hair spilled every direction over her her head and face, a splash of color splayed across the dull brown woolen blanket. Her chest rose up and down evenly as she breathed, and I couldn't help but turn breathless and awed at the sight before me. It astounded me that the ill-tempered, sadistic pirate lord could look so... angelic.

Don't get me wrong, I still hated her.

She stirred, her eyelids fluttering before snapping open and revealing the olive pools that had been concealed beneath them, and looked up at me. She seemed bewildered for a while, before the recollection flashed through her eyes and she gave me a smug smile. "So, Sasuke--," The sound of my first name on her voice was both strange but surprisingly welcome, causing some hidden creature in my chest to purr in appeasement. "You better live a very long life, in order to pay off the two you now owe me."

I opened my mouth to retort, but she put a finger to her lips to shush me. "Enough." She said. "Quarreling can come later. Right now, we negotiate. Because I tire of you refusing my offers and nearly dying shortly afterwards. As much as I hate to admit it, I'd rather not have your blood on my hands, thank you very much." She picked herself up off the floor slowly, stretching as she went, and sat herself on the bed. "Now, you start with what you want and we'll go from there."

"Return my Fiancée and I to our land and turn yourselves in to the authorities." I replied. Her nostrils flared, and I sensed the start of an eruption, but instead she breathed in sharply and kept her temper maintained and under control.

"It was pointless to even suggest that we would turn ourselves in, and you had better save your breath next time. I am trying to be civil here, and come to a solution that is satisfactory to the both of us, and you would do yourself well not to test my patience." She warned. "As for taking you and Hinata back to land, that too, is impossible."

"Why?" I demanded, clenching the sheets in my fingers. "What harm can we do to you off of the boat? Of course, I can make no guarantee that should would cross paths again I would not do everything in my power to bring you the justice you _deserve_," I emphasized. "But how would that differ to the situation you were in before we met?" 

"I do not let people who I would not trust with my own life off of this boat once they are on it." She replied. "You have been exposed to too many of our secrets. I let you waltz away freely, and you can easily give my enemies every little detail of information that I'd rather not have them know. The only way to gain my trust is to join the crew, and even then, it's still something that you have to earn by working vigorously for it. I would not even let a fraction of my crew off of this boat. Besides, what makes you so sure that Hinata wants to leave, anyway?"

I, for once, was at a loss for words. Because what she said was the bitter truth. Hinata, not once since our unfortunate encounter with the pirates, had shown any displeasure with the circumstances besides to that of mine own defiance towards them. "She's your captive!" I exclaimed. "She's just too terrified and well mannered to misbehave!"

The captain quirked a brow. "How can you be so certain?" She asked. I had no answers for her. "Well, why don't we ask her ourselves, shall we?" She turned her head over her shoulder and directed her voice outside of her quarters to whoever might have been waiting outside. "Send her in!" I watched as a quivering Hinata slipped inside the room, her eyes glued to the floor and face flushed. "Well, Sasuke. Ask her."

"Don't be ridiculous!" I spat. "Of course you want to go back home, right Hinata?"

She continued to avoid my gaze. She opened her mouth and muttered something under her breath that I couldn't make out. She seemed to realize that her statement was inaudible, because she attempted again. "They're not bad people..." She muttered, shuffling uncomfortably. "If you'd only give them a chance. Get to know t-them a little. They're all very nice."

"They're pirates!" I yelled. "Thieves! And they've deceived you into believing that--!"

"Don't you _dare_ raise your voice to her!" The Captain cut me off in a furious reprimand, glaring at me before redirecting a soft, reassuring smile at Hinata. "Don't mind him, dear. You can go now, thank you so much." She nodded and made a hasty retreat, backing out of the room without giving a second glance my direction. I sat in a stunned silence, my mouth hanging agape. I was speechless. 

Even my own Fiancée had turned her back on me now. Was I the only one on the entire ship that found their practices morally questionable? "It seems that you have come to an impasse, Sasuke." The Captain continued. "You really do have no choice but to join the crew, seeing as I will no longer allow you to remain as my prisoner or die. If you would please not make this more difficult than it already has been. I'm not asking for much."

"I will _never_!" I seethed in reply, glaring at her with as much hatred as I could manage to muster. "I will never support you disgusting leeches. I will never become one of you, never lower myself to your level. There is nothing you can say or do to change that fact. No threats you can make, nothing you can possibly say or offer to convince me to join. I refuse."

"I'm not asking for much." She said, and I could hear the edge of desperation in her voice. "Please, just for a moment, put your hatred and discrimination of us behind you and look at this logically. I'm not asking you to join in our raids, or accept our way of living, though I do surmise that eventually, you will. I am merely offering a fair trade, labor in exchange for a bed to sleep and food to eat. Is that really so difficult? Think no longer of us as pirates, but as patrons. Business partners."

"I can't." I said stubbornly. "I won't. But," it killed my pride to do this. "I will earn my keep as one of the crew."

Her face split into the first genuine smile I had seen yet. My heart did flip flops in my chest. "I will not, however, swear to give up on escape. In fact, I can assure you that I will seize every opportunity I am given to get myself _and_ my Fiancée off of this vessel and out of your care. Relentlessly, Captain."

She pursed her lips, consideration evident on her face. "Agreed." She said at last, extending her hand. I gave her mine, and she clasped it firmly, giving it a good shake. "And I can assure you, Lieutenant, that I will do everything in my power to stop you." She grinned in challenge. "From now on, we will be enemies coinciding."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I replied truthfully.

"I'll be putting you where I can keep an eye on you." She warned. "You'll be sleeping with me, in my quarters from now on." I instantly had objections with sharing a room with a woman, as there were few things more scandalous and taboo that doing so with one you were not married to. But even the implication of anything romantic between us was enough to cause me to keep my mouth sealed shut. "Come on then, let's go out and introduce you to the crew."

She was flustered and eager like an excited child as she pulled me out of the bed by the hand and dragged me out onto the deck, pushing me out in front of her to display me to the onlooking crew members. "Gents!" She yelled, "And ladies," she added with a laugh when the woman I had met earlier on under awkward circumstances whose name was Ino called out in offense. "I'd like you to meet the newest member of our crew, Lieutenant Uchiha Sasuke!"

There was a loud chorus of cheers.

The next little while was spent dragging me around to each person and making personal introductions to each member of the company. I didn't bother to remember most of them, only grumbling my name reluctantly as they gave an enthusiastic greeting, as I had already decided I loathed them as a collective. But there were still a few that stood out. She took me around again to meet the two woman who had sneaked into the brig while I was imprisoned there. "This is Yamanaka Ino. She's the watch out. Spends most of her time up in the crows nest with her eye pressed against a scope." The blond gave me a bold wink and a suggestive smile.

"Hey, solider." She said.

The next was the brunette with the odd hairstyle. "And this young lady is Tenten, our blacksmith." The Captain said, and Tenten gave me a shy simper. "She makes sure all the weapons are still in mint condition, and makes repairs and the like. She's skilled with just about anything, it's actually quite impressive." Next she pointed to someone who had climbed up one of the masts and was sprawled along a board that jutted off of it, fast asleep and snoring. 

"That slacker up there is Nara Shikamaru. He doesn't really have any definite job, seeing as he doesn't do much of anything besides nap and look at clouds. But we keep him because he's secretly brilliant, and comes in handy when I need advice with battle strategy." She said, pointing out more people as she went along. "We have Kiba, who maintains the canons." He gave a broad wave and a shout. "And Shino, who receives and delivers messages back and forth with our allies." And the man wearing a great deal of clothing and dark spectacles gave a brisk nod.

She lead me down the door parallel to the one that lead into the brig, tugging me along without a second of rest in between hasty acquaintance-making. Hidden behind the door was a kitchen, bustling with activity. The first person to catch my eye was a man with an awful head of greasy black hair, and vibrant green and orange sashes and vests. He was chopping furiously. "Lee!" The Captain called, and he span at the sound her her voice, beaming. His face fell as soon as he laid his buggy little eyes on me. "I'd like you to meet the newest member of our crew." She said, slapping me on the back. "Lee, Sasuke. Sasuke, Lee."

He narrowed his eyes in a comical glower before returning his attention to the Captain. "I'll make sure he works hard for you, Captain!" He cried gleefully, waving a knife dripping with tomato juice in the air dramatically. "We'll have to put that youth to good use!" The Captain gave a quiet laugh and an amused shake of the head before directing me back upstairs.

"And last but not least," she said with a relieved sigh. "You've already met my first mate, Uzumaki Naruto." 

The blond grinned wickedly and snickered. "So you finally managed to convert him, eh, Capt'n?" I remained stoic as he continued to joke with her, pretending that I wasn't drinking in every word of their conversation, and like I couldn't care less. "He took even longer to convince than I did. And I thought that I was a tough egg to crack."

"Maybe if you weren't quite so thickheaded, it would have been easier." She laughed. "Anyways, please tend to Sasuke for a while. I do have a ship to run, after all, and I fell decently behind in my duties because I had to spend all day at _his_" she jabbed a finger in my direction "bedside, making sure he didn't die."

"Alright, Capt'n." Naruto agreed, and with that she scurried off towards the helm. I let out a long sigh, glad to be finished with all the exhausting introductions. The blond leaned his hip against the rail, smirking. "So, what do you feel like doing first, now that you're one of us?"

"Sleep." I replied. I was still quite tired and recovering from the near fatal sickness that I had been suffering through only a few hours earlier. He looked disappointed, but shrugged, saying that he guessed we could go scrounge up a cot to set up in the Captain's quarters for me to use on a more permanent basis.

In reality, I had no intention of sleeping. In fact, the first thing I wanted to do as soon as Naruto left me by my lonesome was to plan my escape, using my newfound freedom as an asset. But there would be no chance of getting anything accomplished without my sword, which had been stripped from me upon my arrival and defeat by the captain. First, I would have to locate it, and I had a decent idea of where it might be hidden. The Captain would have wanted to keep it close to her, just in case I did eventually decide to search for it.

Finding and setting up the cot was a simple and quick ordeal. "Well, sleep tight." Naruto said, pausing in the doorway. "Although... I should warn you, seeing as you're going to be staying with the Captain from now on. When I first arrived here, I slept in her quarters, too. Just be careful. The Captain likes a bit of a drink before she goes to bed."

"Yeah, so?" I asked. I was eager to have him gone so I could begin my search for the sword I inteded to make my daring escape with, and the faster he spat it out the better.

"She doesn't hold her alcohol very well." He said.

"I've dealt with drunks before." I replied.

"None quite like the Captain." He said. And then he was gone.

I made quick work of my expedition, in case the Captain should come back unexpectedly and discover what I was up to. But the Captain's room was large, with a thousand nooks and crannies to hide something the size of my sword. I started with under her four-poster bed, but there were nothing but old faded maps and a thick screen of dust. I checked the window sills, behind the curtains, in each of the drawers and under her many desks and tables. For a woman, she was very disorderly.

She kept a great deal of chests, many of which were locked. Picking locks was a skill I had picked up after years of dealing with too many pirates to count, but it was still a delicate procedure that had to be done carefully to avoid and detection of being broken into. I made my way through each of them, rifling through the contents, checking for hidden compartments.

The largest chest with the most complex lock was at the foot of her bed, and it was quite clearly thief-proof. I probably spent a good half an hour trying to crack it open, before giving up and taking myself elsewhere. I took frequent breaks to clean up after myself, or climb into the cot whenever I hood footsteps passing by. From the sounds of it, the crew members outside were engaged in some sort of merriment or another, judging by the faints sounds of laughter and music. The night wore on, and I must have been seeking through the Captain's belongings for a good several hours. I sat on the cot in frustration, empty-handed.

My eyes darted back towards the chest. Seeing as it was quite obviously nowhere else, if my weapon was hidden in this room at all, it was quite certainly in that chest. With another burst of determination I returned to it, finally giving up at a discreet attempt at breaking it open. I had warned that Captain that we could not trust each other, after all. I grabbed a paperweight off of one of the desks, and smashed it against the lock. It took a couple of good bangs, and then the lock clicked open.

Excitedly, I lifted the lid of the chest.

I was perplexed and frozen by surprise as I discovered what was hidden inside of it. Expensive, exquisite gowns. Decorative fans. Jewelry. The type of things I found with the ladies of high society, whose husbands and families had money coming out of their ears.

What on earth was this sort of stuff doing in the personal chest of the Captain of a Pirate Ship?

I had noticed it beforehand, but it wasn't really of significance until now. Her speech always had been quite eloquent for that of a Pirate. For the first time, I realized that I had never been given her name.

Just who was the Captain, exactly?

"What are you doing?" Her voice shook me from my train of thought. My head snapped upwards, only to find the very woman I had been thinking about standing in the doorway. Her face was expressionless, but her cheeks were flushed, her legs stumbling, and her words slurred. Just as Naruto had warned me, the Captain was drunk. Without giving me a chance to think up an excuse, she lurched forwards, digging inside of the chest and pulling what I had spent so long looking for out of it's hiding place — wrapped up inside one of the skirts of her dresses. "Looking for this, are you? I'm not surprised."

I jumped to my feet, taking a few paces backwards, as she unsheathed my weapon, admiring it. "Maybe it was a mistake, coming to the agreement that we did. I don't like the idea of walking around, having to watch my back all the time. Maybe we should..." She stepped forwards, her eyes still attached to the blade of my sword. "_Readjust_ our compromise." She advanced, and with each step she took I took one backwards, until I found myself with my back against the wall.

I had no idea what her intentions were now, but whatever they might be, I assumed that they were not good ones. Without warning, she drove my own sword forwards towards me in a carefully aimed lunge. It pierced through my shirt, and into the wood of the wall. I tugged at it, but much to my dismay and her satisfaction --

It was quite stuck, and so was I.

Her breathing became shallow as she drew nearer, so close now that our body heat was mingling. She kept her head low, eyes directed at my chest. My heart started beating faster, I tried to hold my breath. Her fingers clasped onto the material of my shirt, and she pressed herself against me. My mind went blank with fright, confusion and... pleasure?

Her head tilted upwards now, lips drawing dangerously near to my ear. She blew gently against it, and sent shivers rocketing down my spine. "Maybe I should take Ino's suggestion." She whispered in a low, seductive, velvety voice. "You could be my whore."

I now understood what Naruto meant when he had warned me about the Captain, but I wished he would have been a little clearer.

Her soft, wet lips pressed passionately against my neck. It was difficult to gather thoughts after that, but the ones I could managed screamed in protest. I hated her. I hated her. I tried to push her away, but my attempts were in vain. She turned aggressive, slamming her weight against me, pinning my arms at my sides with a surprisingly strong hold. If only that rotten sword were not holding me back, overpowering her would be simple. "Now now," she cooed. "None of that. I'll be gentle if you're obedient." A finger trailed down my chest. Her touch seemed to light me on fire.

"Don't." I said. "Stop." 

"Don't stop?" She smiled. "Alright, if you insist."

Y o H o H o A n d A B o t t l e O f R u m


	4. Rivalry

S h i v e r M e T i m b e r s

Between the singing and the dancing, the rum and the drinking games, the socializing and merrymaking — the disreputable events that went on behind the closed door to the Captain's quarters went unnoticed by the remainder of the blissfully ignorant crew. They sat about in circles and clicks, chatting and gossiping about the most exciting new topics that seemed centered on the arrival of the two newest members to their company, the spirited Lieutenant and his shy and endearing Fiancée.

"I could have sworn he actually died!" Ino howled with shrill laughter, clutching the sides of her waist as tears sprung to her eyes. "I think the captain did too. You should have seen the look on her face! She looked like she was about to go into hysterics! Poor thing. You know, I think she might have actually taken a liking to the strapping young Mr. Uchiha. She's never gotten quite so upset about a man before."

"I thought being upset was a sign of _dislike._" Responded the uninterested drawl of Nara Shikamaru, who rolled his eyes at his blond companion in a questioning stare. He had only a sip or two to drink that night, and was a good deal more sober and in his senses than his hopelessly drunk comrades. She cackled again, taking desperate gasps of air in between laughing fits.

"Oh, poor naive Shikamaru. Concerning women — the more a person's opinion matters to us, the easier and more deeply upset we are by them." 

"I'll drink to that." Tenten hiccuped, raising her mug and causing the foam that topped the amber colored liquid to slosh out the sides. She took a long drink, smacking her lips together in satisfaction when finished. Her chocolate orbs darted elsewhere, her smile reaching them when she spotted the young couple that had isolated themselves at the helm. Naruto was trying to teach Hinata the fundamentals of steering a ship. "And then there's a different sort of upset, right?" She said. "Poor Hinata. She looks about ready to faint."

"She makes a good companion for the lively first mate, I must say." Ino remarked. "They do neutralize each other nicely. If only he weren't so blunt, and would notice how she dotes on him." She sighed, admiring the glittering night sky, cluttered with countless stars.

"You two seem to forget that Sasuke and Hinata are intended for each other." Shikamaru reminded them bluntly. It effectively put a damper on the mood.

**C h a p t e r I V**

_Rivalry_

She seemed to realize that my shirt was not going to come off while the sword was embedded in it and the wall. So when she removed it, with lack of effort which was surprising, seeing as I had not been able to pull the sword free myself (I credited it to the awkward position I was forced to tug at it from, not my inferiority to her,) I seized my chance and attempted to make a break for it. But even when drunk, the Captain was no fool. She had seen it coming a mile away, and readily ran it through my pant leg. "Trying to run away?" She chuckled. "Are you frightened of me, Sasuke? I wondered where I will have to stick the sword when I remove those, too..." She wondered out loud. 

"Stop." I ordered, trying to resist her hands as she pulled my shirt up over my head and tossed it carelessly aside. "You don't want to do this. You're drunk." But she ignored me, her hands running shamelessly along the contours of my bare chest. I shivered and wriggled helplessly under her touch. "Stop!"

"Thank heavens for that." She whispered, moving her lips against my collarbone as she spoke. "I'm so much more indulgent when I'm drunk. And of course I want to, naturally. Do you think that I would be trying if I didn't?" Her hands abandoned me, and she began to shed her own clothing next. I had to force myself to tear my eyes away as her shirt dropped to the floor, embarrassed. I could feel my face burn. "Look at me." She commanded. "Don't you want to, Sasuke? Don't you want me?" I shook my head, pinching my eyes shut. "I'll change that. You'll be begging for it, by the time I'm through with you."

She forced my head towards her body with a firm hand on my chin. I was relieved to find she was wearing a corset, as bizarre as it seemed to wear such a thing under mens clothing. I supposed it would be a little risque to wear nothing but a loose-fitting white shirt. She fiddled with the strings and ties, and I tried again in vain to push her away from me. "What's the worth of a man's virginity, I wonder?" She seemed to be speaking to herself. "They who give it away so much more freely than a women does. How many more times after this until your debt is repaid?"

She wrapped a leg around mine. My mind went spinning. "Stop!" But my pleas fell on deaf ears.

Then the door opened. "So have you two killed each oth — Oh my god!" I had never been quite so gratified for the existence of the loudmouthed first mate. He stumbled backwards in surprise, before regaining his composure and springing into action. "C-Capt'n!" He wrapped his arms around her waist and attempted to pull her off of me, but to no avail — she would not budge. "Let go of him, now. The jokes over."

"Naruto..." She snarled threateningly, tightening her vice-like grip on me. I winced. "You're interrupting something."

"I know. Good thing too, eh?" He said with an uncertain laugh. "You don't really want to do this, Capt'n. Remember this guy? He made fun of your hat. No one makes fun of your hat, right?" The ties of the corset had fallen loose and come undone in the struggle, and not was held against her chest only by Naruto's pulling arms. "He didn't even say thanks when you saved his life, twice! The ingrate. You really hate this guy, remember?"

She thought it over, and then nodded her head fervently. "Yeah!" She agreed, glaring at me. "I hate you!"

"So then why are you giving him exactly what he wants?" Naruto finished. I opened my mouth to deny his absurd accusation, but before I had the chance to utter a single word, a hand flew across my face. I heard the slap before I felt the sharp sting.

"How dare you try to take advantage of me?? You pi..." But she was unconscious before she finished speaking. She fell backwards into the waiting arms of the blond, who let out a relieved sigh and clamped a hand firmly over her stomach to keep the corset in place. He freed me, removing the sword, before setting her carefully face first on her bed, and then took on the task of trying to refasten the complex back of the undergarment. When I finally realized how to breath, I spoke again.

"Y-you shouldn't." I muttered. I was opposed to the idea of a man touching a women's unmentionables, even if only to preserve her decency. "It's improper."

But he ignored me, continuing to fuss with it until he gave up, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat, and swore under his breath. "I gave you fair warning!" He said, standing up and neglecting the snoring figure of the Captain. I picked my shirt off of the floor, and examined where she had cut through the fabric before redressing myself. "I told you that the Capt'n doesn't take her liquor well!"

"Well, you could have mentioned that she was going to try to rape me." I snapped back, frustrated as I did the buttons up unevenly and had to start again. My mind was still a mess, my heart still racing in my chest. She had caught me completely off guard, her actions so unexpected that I wasn't quite sure how I was supposed to feel about them. Angry? Frightened? ... Flattered? "You conveniently forgot to leave that bit out."

"Well," he wrinkled his nose. "The Captain does tend to get a bit frisky when drunk, but she's never tried to go as far as that before. She rarely does anything besides try to steal a kiss or feel someone up.  
In fact, even when she's downed a bottle — she turns downs offers from the crew. Gets 'em all the time. You see, most of the men are this ship are quite attracted to the Captain." I wasn't surprised in learning this, she wasn't an unattractive woman. "She must really... you..."

"I'm going to find Ino." He said. "She'll know how to put on that thing. The Captain will probably be a little disconcerted in the morning if she wakes up to find herself half naked. You, um, stay here. If she wakes up before we get back, which is unlikely, run." Before I had the chance to object, he retreated and left the unconscious Captain and I alone.

I sat on my cot and tried very hard to keep my eyes focused on the floor, but couldn't help it when they occasionally drifted upwards to sneak a glimpse at her exposed back. I studied the delicate curve of her spine, the pale, unblemished skin pulled firmly over soft looking flesh. I swallowed hard. It was a powerful reminder that even though the Captain of an infamous pirate ship — she was still a woman. 

I tried not to think too much about what Naruto had said about me being the first man on the ship she had attempted to sleep with, because I wasn't quite sure what it could possibly imply or how I was supposed to react to the information. I heard the sound of approaching laughter, and tore my eyes away from her revealed skin guiltily as Naruto and Ino returned. "She did what? You're kidding! The first time she takes my advice to heart and I'm not even around to witness it." Ino entered the room, and when she laid eyes on me, lost herself to a fit of laughter. "Still so red faced! Poor thing."

I glowered miserably at the floor as Ino tackled the corset, tying it with expert fingers. When she was finished, she pulled on the Captain's shirt and then tucked her under the covers of the bed. Not once did the Captain stir. "She's going to be beside herself in the morning." Ino giggled. "It'll be hilarious. I have to remember to pat attention to how she reacts once she sobers up a little and realizes what she's done."

I had been secretly hoping that she would have been drunk enough to remember nothing in the coming morning. Naruto bent and picked up the forgotten sword, locating it's sheath and putting the two together. "I'll keep _this_ until the Captain decides where she wants to re-hide it." He announced. "We should be going then, we've got to catch some sleep and be up early to get this ship moving in the morning." He chuckled. "Have a nice sleep, Sasuke."

"Night, solider." Ino sang, giving me a two-fingered salute as she made her way out the door to leave me alone once more with the wasted young woman who slept deeply in her bed. "Sleep with one eye open from now on, okay?"

--

She refused to meet my eye. 

Honestly, I prefer it be that way than any other. It was so much easier to ignore each other, each pretending that the other didn't exist, rather than deal face to face with the awkward occurrence of the previous night. Of course, we were not permitted to forget it. Naturally, because Ino had been let in on the scandal, the entire ship new. They laughed and joked at us, making crude suggestions and comments. The Captain was furious every time anyone so much as spoke my name. I disregarded them.

The Captain was, for the most part — back to her old self, besides her obvious poor mood. She snapped at and ordered her crew around restlessly, as if she found some satisfaction in ordering commanding people and governing them by fear. I steered clear of her, as she did me, and any communication that needed to take place between us was through the first mate.

When I woke up in the morning from the precious few hours of sleep I could salvage from that night, the Captain was already gone, and Naruto was waiting for me outside of her quarters. "So," he started, beaming at me and giving me a friendly, firm pat on the back. "It's your first official day as part of the crew. The Capt'n asked me to find some work for you. I don't think she's really up to facing you just yet."

"Fine, whatever." I grunted unenthusiastically. "Let's just get it over with, shall we?"

"That's the spirit!" He said sarcastically. It was well into the morning, the sun already nearing the zenith of the cloudless sky. It blared down on the open deck of the ship ferociously, and sweat was already beginning to prickle at the back of my neck. No one else besides me seemed to notice the scorching heat, however. They were probably a good deal more accustomed to it than I. "I was thinking we could find something for you to do in the kitchen. Being under the deck of a ship is usually a good deal easier than above for people like you, land-lover. Although, I'm not too sure people would be very appreciative of you vomiting on our food, either."

"I'll be fine in the kitchen." I snapped. He shrugged, muttering that I was free to suit my self. We wandered into the familiar kitchen, although it was not quite as busy as I had remembered it being. Most of the workers walked about leisurely, chatting with each other while they washed dishes or scrubbed the floor. I recognized the strangely hideous man I had met the other day instantly. He stood out like a stalk of corn in a wheat field. He was hanging upside down from the rafters, doing pull-ups.

"Lee, you lunatic, get down from there!" Naruto barked, and the bizarrely clad young man jumped down with surprisingly grace, landing on his feet like a cat. "Nutter..." The blond muttered under his breath. "Find something for Sasuke to do down here, won't you? He gets seasick too easily on the upper level. Oh, but first." He turned to me. "When was the last time you ate?"

Now that I thought about it, I was incredibly hungry. "The last time you fed me." I replied.

"Well, in that case, feed him something beforehand. He's probably starving." Naruto said to Lee, before turning to leave. Lee nodded wordlessly. "And don't work him too hard, he had a bit of a rough night last night, as I'm sure you've probably heard." He climbed back up the stairs and out of sight, laughing to himself as he went.

The ugly dark-haired man turned towards me, a stern expression on his face. "It's a pleasure to be working with you, Lieutenant Uchiha. We will try our best to accommodate you." He said stiffly, pouring some water from a canteen into a dirty-looking glass and handing it to me. I ignored the cup and gulped it down eagerly. "I'm glad to have my eternal rival close to me."

I quirked a confused brow. He really was a peculiar little man. "And what exactly are we rivaling about, perchance?" I asked, raising the cup to my lips and sipping again.

"For the fair heart of the lady Captain, of course."

I nearly spat my water all over him. "Why on earth would I want such a thing?" I demanded, thoroughly shocked. "I hate the creature! I regret to inform you that you are severely mistaken," I continued, raising my head proudly. "And will find no competition coming from me."

He was throwing some food on a plate, his eyes directed downwards, but I could tell by the way his lips were pressed together in a thin line that he was unconvinced. "There is no point in trying to hide it." He said. "I know that you tried to seduce the poor, innocent Captain last night." He pushed the plate at me. I didn't even look at it, and it remained forgotten against my chest.

"I did no such thing!" I retorted in my defense. His resolve was unwavering. "It was she who--!"

"My beauteous Captain would never commit such a vile act!" He roared defiantly, raising a shaking fist in a non-threatening, but passionate, way. "You are a horrible man, Lieutenant Uchiha — spreading such dishonorable rumors about such a gentle, kind woman. But I will admit that your deceiving outward appearance gives you an unfair advantage, and you will make for a challenging opponent. Fear not, true love and youth will triumph!" 

Every head in the kitchen was now turned towards us, was they did not seemed overly surprised, only amused. A few of them giggled, turning and whispering to their neighbor. I concluded that this type of behavior was typical of him, but it did not help erase my dumbfounded awe. I stared at him, my mouth hanging agape, as he posed valiantly in front of me. I began to seriously reconsider accepting kitchen duty. He was genuinely off his rocker.

"Well," he said, his face splitting into a nerve-racking smile. "Now that we've got that all clear, let's put some use to you, shall we? Stew is on the menu for tonight, and we need a whole whack of potatoes peeled."

After I had finished my food, as sat on a stood and watched the shavings of potato skin curl and tumble onto the dusty ground below, I thought about the chain of events that had taken me from a proud Lieutenant of the military just months from getting married and starting a life anew to a potato peeler below the deck of a pirate ship — and hung my head in shame. 

Eventually, the pile of potato peelings grew noticeably and the pile of potatoes shrunk. My hands were tired, and cut in a few places where I had been careless. I was growing increasingly bored of the repetitive work, so when the door creaked open my head snapped upwards hopefully to see if someone had come to drag me and use my labor elsewhere. As soon as I caught sight of pink, I quickly redirected my attention at my work and peeled away furiously. I sliced open my index finger and winced, putting my finger in my mouth and sucking.

When she started walking my direction, my heart skipped a beat. "It'll keep bleeding." She said. I stared at her boots as they came to a stop in front of me. "If you suck on it like that, it won't clot." I was paralyzed when I felt gently urging hands prying my finger away from my mouth, and she brought her face down towards it. She pressed her thumb near the cut, and held it there until the blood stopped seeping out of it. "There." She said, satisfied. She wiped the spilled blood off my finger, and then on her pants.

She looked right at me, but I felt no sway in my chest when she did. Her stare lacked both friendliness and obvious distaste, and was a difficult one to read. I hadn't the faintest idea what might be going on in her mind, whether she was still stuck on the incident that had happened last night, or had not quite forgotten, but forsaken its memory. She bent down and picked up a peeled potato, examining it scrutinizingly. "Each of them stripped to perfection. Do you take pride in a job well done, Sasuke?"

I merely nodded, unable to force any words to come to my tongue. "I think that's enough work for today. I don't want you to get sick again. You can go up on the deck and be sociable if you wish, or if you're tired you can nap in my quarters. I would assume that you haven't gotten much sleep since your arrival on my vessel."

"Yes..." I replied hesitantly. "I think I'd like to sleep." She gave a curt nod of the head before excusing herself to speak with an obviously overjoyed Lee. I stood, stretching my aching legs, and wandered above the deck. I ignored the heads that turned my directions and the whispers and giggles that flew about, walking briskly without making it seem like I was in a hurry.

Once again, regardless of the poor result of the last time, I had no intention of sleeping when I arrived at the Captain's quarters. But neither did I intend to search for my weapon, as she more than likely had re-hidden outside the obvious place. I had a different mystery other than the whereabouts of my sword that I wished to solve first. I shut the door behind me and let out the breath that I hadn't realized I was holding, waiting a few moments to make sure no one had followed me before approaching the foot of the Captain's bed and kneeling down besides the chest. 

I wanted a hint. A clue that would lead towards the discovery of her identity.

There had been an obvious effort to find a replacement lock for the one I had broken, but the one she had found was a great deal easier to pick. I rummaged inside of the chest, just to confirm beforehand that she had not in fact returned my sword to it's previous hiding place. Just as I had expected, it was not hidden within the piles of clothing and accessories.

I took my time, examining each item carefully. Checking the pockets of petticoats, she seams and hems of gowns in case she had been clever enough to sew something into the clothing. I had a difficult time trying to imagine the laces and frills on the Captain, or seeing her adorned in the pearl earrings and ruby broaches, and countless other expensive pieces of jewelry that I pulled out of probably five separate boxes that were either painted gold or glittering with jewels.

Gloves... Handkerchiefs... It was a spacious chest with a great deal in it, and I was growing depressed as I neared the bottom of it. So far, I had found nothing of use. But I dug on, carefully refolding everything and preparing it to be put back in its proper place easily. My heart jumped when I spotted a small, rectangular package on the wooden floor of the chest, wrapped in red satin. I pulled it out, and then the Captain announced her presence. "If you are satisfied that you will not find your weapon in there, you can put that back, please."

Judging by the way she looked at me, I assumed she had been standing there watching me rifle through her belongings for quite some while. She looked unimpressed, if not bitter. "I have asked someone else to hide it for me. It could be anywhere on the ship." She said, stepping forwards. "Not even I know its location, in case you thought you might try to drug or torture the information out of me. You can search for your precious sword on this ship during your entire life lived on it, but you will more than likely not find it."

"I was not looking for my weapon." I replied. Her face paled visibly, and her eyes narrowed into a glare. She reached for the package that I had in my hand, but I held it out of her reach. "Who are you?" I demanded. "I want a name, a history. Who were you before you were the Captain of this ship?"

"I am the Captain of this ship _now_," She seethed, grasping for it blindly. "And that is all that matters. Give me those back, they do not belong to you."

"I'll give you these back if you tell me who you are." I replied.

"My identity is not of your concern, and it is not something I will share until you gain my trust." She spat. But I would not give her back something she quite obviously did not want me to see, and she realized this. She drew her own weapon, pointing it at my neck. "Return what is rightfully mine back to me." Then, she directed her sword to my knee. "You do not need a leg for peeling potatoes. Do you fancy peg legs, Sasuke?" 

Reluctantly, I handed it over. I would find some way of discovering who she was eventually. "Your name." I begged. "A first, a last. I don't care. Give me something. It can't be that important to keep secret."

"A name?" She pressed the package protectively against her chest. "You may call me _Captain._"

S h i v e r M e S o u l

Okay, so this chapter is like... five pages shorter than the last.

Oh well. It was another speedy update brought to you by... YOUR REVIEWS! That's right, keep 'em coming... Keep 'em coming...

PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY REVIEW! ;; I'm a reviewcrackwhore. I sold you my story. Now give me my crack. : o Erm I means reviews.

Sakura's acting suspicious ooooh... OOOH... Bewaar.


	5. The Gentleman Test

D r i n k U p M e H e a r t i e s

She had never taken for granted the friendship of her crew mates, even if they were her subordinates, and even if they did happen to be twittering ninnies who concerned themselves more with gossip and scandal rather than ship work. But Sakura appreciated the company of her female friends now more than ever, when she came to the definite conclusion that she hated all within the male species, even if only for the remainder of the night.

It had been the persistent and rude interrogation by the Lieutenant that had set her in such a foul mood, and she would not even give a passing glance to Naruto. The nerve of that man never ceased to infuriate her, and it seemed that he was determined to make her life a living hell, and was succeeding. So as she sat with an open bottle of rum in one hand and the other wildly moving about in gestures and expressions as she spoke, she ranted on incessantly about how much she absolutely loathed him. Ino and Tenten listened, but were far from well behaved. They laughed and joked and teased, leaving nothing to remain sacred.

"Cocky, immature, arrogant, self-centered, stubborn, ungrateful, ill-mannered, stubborn--," She was in the middle of trying to think of all the words that could accurately describe him, and certainly could have gone on for an eternity and a half if she was not interrupted.

"He might be all of those things," Ino said with a laugh. "Which is sort of Charming in it's own way. But he is quite clearly a gentleman, and that alone makes up for all of his others, if you may call them, shortcomings." She tore the bottle from Sakura's hand and provoked a yell of protest. "And I think you've had quite enough to drink for the night, Captain. Do you remember what happened last time?"

This seem to do the trick, and Sakura relented, grumbling incoherent things under her breath as she stared at the rum bottle wistfully. "That swine is _not_ a gentleman! He wouldn't know the meaning of the word if it slapped him in his face. Why, towards me he acts as nothing but a barbarian! You're fooled to easily by a handsome face, Ino." She said in response to the previous comment, spitting out the words angrily.

"I call them as I see them." The blond replied with a shrug of her shoulders, bringing the bottle of rum to her mouth and taking a long swig. She passed it to Tenten next who followed suit, and Sakura's eyes followed it hungrily. "And I'm never incorrect when it comes to judging a man's character. He's quite proud, but he knows how to behave himself properly. He might treat you like a lady if you were one, Sakura." She giggled. "You're a pot calling a kettle black." 

"Kettles make wonderful flowerpots!" Added Tenten, who was much too drunk to say anything of much sense.

Sakura sighed in frustration, throwing her hands up in the air and rolling her eyes. "I'll put you both in the brig and let you starve, I will! I'm the Captain of this ship, and if I say something, then you'll agree with it whether you want to or not." But her threats were disregarded, as they both knew that Sakura didn't really mean it. Although she demanded respect, and received it, the Captain was not cruel.

"I'll make you a wager." Ino offered, taking the rum bottle back from Tenten and swirled what little remained around the bottom before bringing it up to her lips and hesitating. Sakura jerked forwards, licking her lips. "We'll prove to you that young Lieutenant Uchiha is a gentleman, and if I can't, I'll do both my work and what Shikamaru was assigned to, but doesn't do, for a week." She swallowed the remainder of the alcohol and tossed the empty bottle over the railing and into the sea below, smacking her lips together and letting out a sigh of satisfaction.

She mourned over the loss of the rum silently. "And just how do you intend to prove this to me, hm?" She asked, cocking her head to the side and quirking a skeptical brow.

"There's a test, of course. My mother taught it to me." She smiled, reaching inside of her sleeve and pulling out a handkerchief, waving it teasingly in front of Sakura's face. "It works the best with a handkerchief or a decorative fan, but we'll probably have to find a substitute, seeing as you don't own any." She let the handkerchief drop from her hand, and it floated down to the deck below. "See, when the potential gentleman is nearby, you drop it. If he picks it up for you, bingo. But the trick is in how you drop it, you can't give any indication that _you've_ noticed you have, but you have to make sure that _he_ notices it when you drop it. Because if you watch it fall and then stare at him expectantly, he'll get suspicious. It's foolproof, really." She smiled. "I tried it with Shikamaru. He, of course, just pointed at it and grunted."

Sakura pursed her lips, thinking it over for a moment, before nodding. "There was no way that man would pick up anything I dropped for me. It seems like an accurate enough test... Alright, I agree. A question though, if he does pick it up, which he won't, what will you have me do?" 

Ino grinned, leaned over, and whispered it in her ear.

**C h a p t e r V**  
_The Gentleman Test_

If it were not for the unmade bed that I distinctly remember being made before, I would have doubted that she had returned at all again that night. I had fallen asleep after searching a little while longer, to no avail, and did not wake when sneaked into the quarters to sleep or out again to start a new day. How many now had I been prisoner here? I had long ago lost count. Five, six, a week? I sat upwards on the cot and rubbed at the sleep in my eye, squinting as the first rays of sunlight stared at me.

There came a few knocks at the door before Naruto burst in, unanswered. "Morning, Lieutenant? Ready for another day of work?" I glared at him wordlessly, throwing off a moth-eaten blanket and searching around for my shoes. One had been kicked under the cot and the other was upturned on the rug. I slipped them on as he sauntered into the room, eying the contents of the emptied foot trunk that remained splayed across the floor. "The Capt'n needs to clean her room." He muttered under his breath.

I ached for clean clothes in a bath, seeing as I hadn't bathed since my arrival here and I had been given only one set of new clothes. Needless to smell, I did not smell or feel as clean as I was quite used to, even though I didn't stand out at all from the others on the ship. "When can I bathe and change my clothes?" I asked. "I'm beginning to reek like the rest of you animals."

Even if he had taken offense to my comment, he didn't show it. Instead he stared at me incredulously, as if I had just suggested something ridiculous, his mouth hanging open. "Oh... uh, I'll ask the Captain later." He replied finally. "Anyway, you'll be working below deck with Lee again today, in the kitchen." I sighed loudly and let my shoulders droop, making no attempt to conceal my obvious distaste. "What, you got a problem with kitchen work now, Mr. Picky-Pants?"

"No, but I do have a problem with your Chef." I replied truthfully. He laughed understandingly, shaking his head back and forth. "I'm afraid whatever mental condition he has is contagious."

"He's a little eccentric," Naruto agreed. "But Lee's a good guy. The Captain likes him a lot."

If I had been drinking anything, I definitely would have spat it out all over the whiskered blond. "Likes _him_? _Likes_ him?" I repeated disbelievingly. I recalled what I could of him — the bizarre manner of speech, odd quirks, and unbearably hideous face, and was only more astounded by his preposterous suggestion. Even though questionable, the Captain no doubt had better taste than that. "What on earth does she see in him?"

I did not like the unnerving grin that his mouth curled into, and I disliked the comment that followed it even more. "Oh, is somebody jealous? Don't worry, you're the Captain's only whore."

I might not have been so touchy on the subject of being the Captain's whore if she had not been offered such an arrangement when drunk. But seeing as she had, he therefore had to die for his impudent words. I launched myself at him, my hands reaching for his neck, and we tumbled and rolled about on the ground, throttling each other. This was the state the Captain found us in when she barged into her quarters. "Stop it!" She demanded instantly. He elbowed me in the gut and I banged his head against the ground. "Stop it this very instant, the both of you!"

"He... started... it!" Naruto yelled between gasps for air as I pressed my thumbs against his throat and he held me in a headlock. Sakura reached around behind me and attempted to pull me off of him, but my head was caught in Naruto's unrelenting grasp and it felt like it was going to pop off if she pulled any harder, and I squeezed Naruto's neck harder. He gagged and made an undignified squawk.

"I'm finishing it!" She yelled before she threw herself into the tussle. We were a tangled mess of flailing limbs trying to inflict bodily harm to one another, and we didn't let up until we heard the horrified gasp that we all recognized as Hinata's and instantly broke apart. She stood in the doorway, a hand clamped over her mouth, her eyes widened with terror. "S-sorry, Hinata." the Captain breathed through pants. "There's nothing to be worried about."

I could feel the starts of a nasty bruise on my arm and a black eye. We all brushed ourselves up and rose on shaky and sore legs, hoisting ourselves up by whatever we could grab onto. I should have felt a stab of resent when Hinata ran over to Naruto instead of me, but I didn't. In fact, there was nothing but a brief thought of my indifference and how surprised I was by it as she knelt at his side and inspected his unscathed face. It seemed, seeing as both of them were opposing me, that I had received the worst injuries. "Now would somebody please explain to me _why_ exactly you were trying to kill each other?"

Naruto chuckled. "He just got a little too jealous, is all." He said, smiling at me smugly. "Apparently he finds the truth offensive."

"I live to see the day when you hang." I growled, baring my teeth at him. Hinata squeaked in alarm and touched her neck instinctively, drawing closer to the blond, who in comparison seemed completely unaffected by my words. "I'll have your ugly head mounted on my wall!" 

"Enough!" The Captain roared, giving me a painfully sharp smack across the head. I flinched. "You, if you even so much as lay a finger on a member of my crew again, you'll be back in the brig." She said to me, before turning towards Naruto. "You, don't provoke him, and you," she whirled her head towards Hinata, who looked as if she was about to burst into tears. "Oh no, dear, I'm not mad at you. Let's go, come on now, I'll help you up." She extended Hinata her hand and lifted her to her feet before pointing towards the door, indicating for her to leave. My Fiancée threw another concerned look at Naruto before reluctantly wandering back out onto the deck of the ship, and Sakura followed afterwards without another word to the either of us.

"Well, that was fun." Naruto said with a laugh. I sent him a glower. "Hey, learn to take a joke, man. Anyway, you can show yourself to the kitchen. I've got work to do." And he followed after the other two, leaving me all alone in the Captain's quarters. I kicked the dressed on my way out in frustration, stubbing my toe in the process and swearing loudly. 

Lee was already waiting for me, it seemed, when I ventured below the deck into the kitchen. I had been given what I thought to be a fair dose of lunatics for the morning, so I made a point of avoiding him as he trailed after me towards the pile of new, un-peeled potatoes. I supposed that they were a good source of food to have on a boat, seeing as they were durable and didn't mold easily, and could be used for many things, but the potato consumption of the pirates was still absurd. They surely didn't need that many for just one day, but maybe it was just to give me something to do. 

I planted myself on the stool and reached for the first potato, and he bent over so that we were eye level. "This is no good!" He said loudly, and I blinked, perplexed, and stared down at the potato questioningly. "You should be up and at work while the morning is still youthful! It's almost ten o'clock!"

I decided that I wasn't in the mood for the criticisms of a mad man, so I took the knife to the potato and began to carve off the skin carefully. He watched me intently, the small pupils of his eyes darting around with my movements, before raising a hand into the air as if he needed to ask a question. "Alright!" He voiced loudly. "I will peel twice as many potatoes as you do before noon!" He challenged, pulling up another stool nearby and searching around for a clean knife. I had wished that he would have sticked to his own work and let me do mine, but I didn't announce my opinion of sharing his company.

"The winner of this match will get to take lunch to the lovely young Captain!" He proposed.

"You can do it anyway!" I replied. "I don't want to do such a thing!" 

I would admit that I felt satisfied when I set aside my fifth cleanly shaved and he finished on his first misshapen one, as ludicrous as it seemed that I would feel competitive about peeling potatoes. The hours dragged on, and he would occasionally glance over to compare my progress to his, and upon discovering that his pile was a molehill in contrast to my mountain, rapidly reach for another one and vigorously scrape away at it until he was forced to slow and even out the sadly deformed vegetable. He would exclaim that time was not up yet, and he would still be triumphant, but he still didn't come close to catching up to me.

Noon came around, and he hadn't even peeled a third of what I had. Not that I was counting. "You are a worthy foe indeed!" He cried in distress. "You have won this battle, but the war is far from over! I will step aside and let you take the prize that you have earned, Lieutenant Uchiha! You may take lunch to the Captain!" He shoved a bowl of last night's leftover stew into my hands.

"I said I don't want to. You go ahead." I offered it back towards him, but he turned his head in refusal.

"No, you were victorious and have earned this most sacred privilege fair and square. I, the loser, am not worthy of delivering the Captain's food. But mark my words, next time I will be the champion, and every time after that!" Was he... crying?? I didn't feel like arguing with him further, or wasting any more of my time exposed to his insanity, so I relented and went above deck to find the Captain.

She was at the helm, pouring over maps, unsurprisingly. I shoved the food under her nose. "What is this?" She asked, taking it and giving me a curious look.

"Your lunch." I replied.

"Yes, I knew that much, but Lee usually brings it to me..." She muttered, and it almost sounded as though she spoke with disappointment. It only brought up the question to myself once more, what did she see in such a person? He was nothing but an annoyance, a persistent bother, and an ugly one, at that! What on earth could have possessed her to feel more attracted towards him that towards... well, me?

Damn, I thought. I _am_ jealous. But only because I was so accustomed to every woman swooning over and doting on me that her obvious preference to something so atrocious was blasphemous. It was all in my ego, I told myself. It wasn't because _she_ liked him more than I, but because any woman at all did. That was it, I told myself. Absolutely nothing more.

"Oh." She sighed, staring at the soup sadly before swallowing a spoonful. I turned to leave, but she made a loud grunt. "Lee always waits until I finish eating so he can bring my bowl back!" She said with her mouth full.

"I'll come back for it later." I said. I turned to leave again but she grabbed onto my wrist, holding it with a firm grip and keeping me rooted in place. 

"No." She commanded. "Stay."

So I sat and watched her eat, figuring that the less time I had to spend with the over enthusiastic freak, the better. She ate sloppily and impolitely, chewing loudly and with her mouth open, slouched and with her elbows propped up on what she was using as a table. So of course, when she pulled a lacy handkerchief that I recognized as being one from her secret chest, to dab at the corners of her mouth, I found it odd. Not only because of its obvious misplacement within her other mannerisms, but also because I had never seen her bother with being tidy or clean before. She completely ignored the smudges of dirt and grease on her nose and cheeks, and then was finished, rested her hand, the handkerchief still lightly clutched in her fingers, at her side.

It fluttered out of her grasp and onto the floor. She hadn't seem to have noticed, so I bent over gracefully and picked it up. She tensed as I straightened myself and extended it towards her, and then her eyes narrowed furiously. "You... dropped this?" I said. She tore it from my hands and jumped to her feet, her nostrils flaring. She looked absolutely ravenous.

"You just had to pick it up, didn't you??" She screeched, before turning on her heel and storming off. She was greeted at the stairs leading to the lower deck by Ino and Tenten, who were shrieking in laughter, and dragged her off towards her quarters. I watched, dumbfounded, as she struggled halfheartedly against them and the door shut closed.

I went to return the bowl to the kitchen, and when I came up again, the three girls still hadn't emerged. I had no clue what they might have been doing behind the closed doors, but for some reason, I suspected it had something to do with when I picked up the Captain's handkerchief for her. It was strange, I thought, glimpsing occasionally back towards the Captain's room to see if they were ready to come out yet.

The crew had also seemed to notice this bizarre phenomenon, and waited for the Captain to show return. There was a few more moments of still silence, before screams could be heard from behind the door. "No!" The Captain called. "I won't go out there, I won't! I look ridiculous! I look absolutely ridiculous! You can't make me I _wont_!"

But the door burst open anyway, and the Captain stumbled onto the deck and was exposed to the hungry eyes of the crew.

It took a while for the image to sink in, and even after it had I found I could not move. The Captain was wearing a lavish gown, decorated with pearls and sequins, her face was cleaned and powdered and her hair was drawn up on the back of her head. I had thought her pretty when she was dressed in ragged men's clothing and dirty as a child after a day of play in the mud, but now she looked absolutely breathtaking. The company of pirates shared a similar reaction to mine, and stared at her in a stunned silence. "What are you all looking at?" She demanded. "Get back to work, yah mangy dogs!"

They didn't need to be told twice, and reluctantly turned their heads away. She waddled furiously over towards the railing and stared out into the sea, looking haughty and disdainful a little while longer, before her face crumpled.

That expression. That miserable, forlorn expression — I would recognize it anywhere.

I approached her cautiously, and when she caught sight of me out of the corner of her eye she turned away from me hastily.

"...Sakura? Haruno Sakura?"

Y o h o

Okay, so first of all I'd like to apologize for the lateness in updating. I wrote and posted two things in between updates of this chapter and the last, and my computer time just got chopped down. Secondly, I'd like to apologize for the short chapter. I really wanted to get it out tonight for you guys, so I'm sorry if it seems a little rushed.

And lastly, I'd like to apologize for doing this: No new chapters until after I get fifty review or more for the story. (In total, not just for this chapter!) Just because I'm such a review whore, and I'm desperately aiming for an average of ten review per chapter. Besides, my inspiration is dwindling. It used to be like... /--------------------/ that, but not it's like /-/ that. Though, I should mention sandwich-chan, the crack did help. : )

Oh, sorry, I lied. That's not the last thing. Last, I'd like to tell you all that I posted two new stories, one's a one shot and the other is the first chapter of a new story. Soooo if you love me and are interested in reading more of my work, please check them out! They are seriously lacking in reviews and I feel unwanted. ;; Why does no one want me...? -Sniff-


	6. Fools Gold

T h i e v e s A n d B e g g a r s

A hand clamped firmly over his mouth, and her other one grabbed his arm and pulled him into whispering range. "Blurt it out for the whole ship to hear, why don't you?" She hissed in his ear as he struggled against her grasp in alarm at her sudden actions. "There is a reason _why_ I keep my name hidden, and I would be much obliged if you'd do so also." She let out an exasperated sigh and released him, putting a finger to her lips to stress the importance of silence on his part. "God, I was hoping that you wouldn't recognize me."

She put a thumb and a forefinger to the temples on either side of her head and kept her eyes hidden, letting out a mournful groan. "What a disaster." She muttered. "If only you hadn't picked up that handkerchief, none of this would have happened." He blinked in astonishment, staring at her in an open-mouthed silence.

Once he had shaken off his surprise enough to speak, he did so. "It... really is you? But they said you were dead! Otherwise, we'd still be..."

"Engaged, yes." She spat out the word with a distasteful grimace. "But here is not the place to talk, we've attracted the attention of the crew. You should know that if word slips out of my identity, every ship in your entire armada will be hot on my heels. So I would highly suggest you keep your voice down, lest I decide to rip out your vocal chords." Her words were snappy and impertinent, but he did not feel the least bit threatened. Whether it was foolish self confidence on which he raised himself to her pedestal, or pride, he did not know.

She walked briskly towards her room, beckoning him to follow her with a motion of her forefinger. He trailed after her hesitantly, his mind filled to the brim with questions that had suddenly sprung and ravenous for answers. This time, he was certain, he would get them. He stepped into the quarters and shut the door behind him, trying to catch her eyes with his own. Their gazes locked, and he held them there. "Now." He said with authority, disregardful of her position above him. "Explain."

**C h a p t e r V I**

_Fools Gold_

My father put a hand to my back and gently, but firmly pushed me forwards. "Married?" I repeated, staring upwards into the downcast eyes of Uchiha Fugaku. My father wore a hard expression, but not a mean one. It was impassive, as blank as the empty pages of a book. His flat, emotionless eyes held none of the adoration or affection that I desperately worked towards gaining.

"It means one day, you and she will be like your mother and I. You'll have children and a family of your own, and carry the proud name of our family into the next generation." He said, and his stare wandered back up to meet that of Mr. Haruno's. Mr. Haruno was a shorter, less built man than my father. But he had a kind smile, and there was something about his presence that put you at ease. "Be polite to young Ms. Haruno, son."

It had always seemed to me that wealth divided the happy from the unhappy, and that is why although this was the first and only time I would meet her until our fateful reunion on her vessel, she made a strong impression on me. I stared at her scrutinizingly, squinting my eyes to get a better look at the fine details of her childish face. The first thought that struck me was of her peculiar hair color, the next was of her remarkable eyes. They reminded me of large, round leaves. And then I noted how unfriendly she seemed in comparison to her father. But I took her hand and brought it to my mouth anyway, kissing it like my mother had taught me was proper to do when being introduced to a lady, and muttered a quiet: "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

She did not reply, and instead let her hand drop to her side.

At the few social gatherings I had been brought to, people danced and chatted gaily with each other while eating off of crystal plates and with silver forks, dressed in high-brow, flamboyant outfits and strutting about like peacocks. This was the world that I belonged to, that of those who were born blessed, and it was difficult to imagine that misery existed in such a place. I had come to the conclusion that money, in fact, could and would by happiness, and it had for all of those seemingly blissful people.

And how could I not when I looked out onto the streets and saw people dressed in tattered rags and cloths, dirty humans with nothing but skin on bones, and shudder when I tried to put myself in their shoes. How bleak their lives seemed in comparison to the color of mine.

"Go play, children." Mr. Haruno said, shooing us off to the courtyard with a wide sweep of his hand and a smile. "Lieutenant Uchiha and I have important matters to speak of. Don't get into too much trouble, mind you." Neither of us willing to disobey our fathers, we made our leave. I didn't much know how to 'play,' seeing as I had devoted much of my childhood to studies and working hard to get ahead. I had few friends, if any, and instead spent most of my time practicing my fencing.

I scampered up a tree, which I recalled seeing other children my age do once in a nearby park, careful not to scratch my clothing on the rough surface of the bark. I climbed upwards, using the branches as a ladder, until I made my way half way up the broad trunk. I looked below, surprised that she hadn't followed, and was instead staring uninterestedly at the ground and nudging dirt with the toe of her shoe. "Well," I said impatiently. "Are you coming, or not?"

She looked up at me, and it was the first time I saw it. The bitter, brooding scowl. The immeasurable sadness in her expression, topped off with a wistful longing as she visibly ached to join me.

"I can't." She replied. "I'll dirty my dress."

--

"First," she said as she sat down on the foot of her bed, inadvertently avoiding my eyes. I sat across from her on the cot from her and waited impatiently for her to continue what she had to say. "You will not interrupt me, or you will get no answers. Are we understood?" I nodded. "Well, before I explain to you about my life as Haruno Sakura, I'll have to give you my history as Captain Hokage. You are aware of this name, am I correct?"

"Yes." I replied. It brought back to me my initial surprise and confusion upon discovering that the face of the pirate lord, for so many years kept hidden, was young and female. Through all the other events that had occurred since my arrival, it seemed to have been buried beneath the piles of other concerns. "The name has been around for over a century. You can't honestly claim to be such a person and expect me to believe it. You're not a day older than I am."

"Actually, if I remember correctly, I'm five months older than you are." She said with a cheeky smile, adding quickly: "But that's beside the point. I thought I told you not to interrupt me. You are quite mistaken, Sasuke. I am indeed the one and only Captain Hokage, as of right now, but I was not the original. The first Captain Hokage died a great many years ago, after retiring with his riches and passing the title on to a successor. The name 'Captain Hokage' is an heirloom, one that has been passed down through many generations."

Now that she had explained it, it was so simplistic that I found it unbelievable that nobody had considered the possibility of their being multiple Captain Hokages that had proceeded each other. "My predecessor was a lady by the name of Tsunade, who is a brilliant woman. Not only was she capable of commanding a crew with such respect I will only ever be able to dream of receiving, but she did it with class and dignity. She is also the owner of the most innovative medical mind you will find alive today. I was honored to be her subordinate."

As she wound her tale I found myself entranced by her words, pulled into her story, and infuriated all at the same time. Here was someone who had come from what I had, and had turned into such an abomination. The way she spoke of the pirates sickened me. But I would not speak, because I could feel the missing link in her past growing closer to being revealed. I nearly urged her onwards, but she seemed to be choosing the right words to use.

"When I was sixteen years old my father decided to take my mother and I to France with him. While we were traveling overseas, our ship was attacked by Tsunade's. They raided the boat and looted all of our belongings, and although they sunk the vessel, they did not harm any of its passengers. I was trapped below the deck and near drowning when she saved me and decided to take me on as one of her apprentices. I woke up in the brig of this ship, and she explained to me the rules and lifestyle, and offered a place as a member of her crew. I jumped at it." 

Here was where I could no longer contain myself. "Why?" I demanded, jumping to my feet as the anger surged through me. "How could you betray your family like that, your friends? Trade up what you had for the life of a liar and a thief? Your father was a respectable man who made a good living. You could have had anything that you asked for! Why would you choose _this_ over _that_?" 

She remained silent until after my outburst, keeping her eyes focused on the ground. How odd it was to see her calm and collective, even after being yelled at. It seemed that the topic which we spoke of called for some solemnity and seriousness, even with someone as boisterous as the Captain. "How could you possibly know anything?" She muttered spitefully, her brows knitting together. The sheets of her bed crumpled, clenched in gloved hands. "You, who have been free to do as you desire from the day you were born. You, who was expected to strut around flaunting your uniform and your shiny sword. You, who won't be looked at funny for wearing _pants_."

She slumped back onto the bed, letting her legs dangle off the edge. Her hair splayed out across the covers and the skirts of her dress crept upwards, exposing the pale, bare skin of her calves. I tried my hardest not to pay them any mind. But still, they drew my eyes towards them like an uncanny, undeniable force. Such immodesty, and she didn't even seem to notice. How cruel for her to put me into such an awkward position and not even _notice_. My heart beat loudly in my chest.

"Cover yourself." I mumbled. I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks as I spoke. If only she were not so foolish enough to move so carelessly around me and preserve her decency. I wasn't one of her girlfriends. She wasn't a man. This was not a harmless and innocent action caused by her naiveté, it was teasing. Surely, she was more aware of herself than she put out to be. Surely, she was sending my pulse racing on purpose. "You shouldn't..."

She interrupted my hushed, abashed speech with a loud sigh. "See, this is what I'm talking about." She said, standing so that we were both on our feet, and approached me slowly, her eyes still directed downwards. With each step she took forward, I took one back, until I found myself with my knees pressed against the metal frame of the cot. And then she pushed me, with a hand on either shoulder, forcing me down into a sitting position. "Does this bother you?" She lifted her foot and placed it precariously in between my legs, tugging her skirt up over her knee.

The answer to my question was obvious, and I therefore did not voice it. Instead I turned my head away, from the uncovered skin of her thigh, and glowered at the wall. "Why?" She asked, nudging me under the chin with her knee. I recoiled, blushing furiously. "How is my leg any different than yours? A leg is a leg. A man walks around like this, and he is given no second thought. But if a woman even so much as accidentally lets her ankle slip from under her skirt, there of course is something morally improper with her."

"I was not made for that kind of living." She said, and much to my relief, removed her leg from close proximity. I let out the breath that I wasn't aware that I was holding. I still refused to meet her eye as she spoke, feeling too disconcerted by her shameless action. "The pretty dresses and tight corsets. Eating off of expensive dinner plates with expensive forks. The glamor, the strictly prudish behavior that is expected of you. I am not a puppet. I refuse to be put on strings. I am not an ornament. I refuse to do nothing but sit and look pretty when I am capable of much grander things."

"This is your definition of _grander things_?" I repeated with disgust, once I had found my voice again. My eyes followed her as she paced across the room guiltlessly. "This is an insult. What you are doing is dishonorable and disrespectful. It goes beyond my understanding that two people as honest as your parents could have raised you with such a twisted view of reality."

"I am the dishonorable one? I am the one who lives a disrespectful life? Oh yes, I am a thief. I take what is not rightfully mine and use it to my own advantage." She span on me, her eyes ablaze and furious, and stalked forwards. "But _you_" her finger prodded against my chest. "Are no different. You sit on your silk seat cushion, paid for by the taxes of people who are so poor they can scarcely afford to feed themselves and their children, people who are starving and sick in the street, and people whose money you will grow fat off of." 

"I was glad to escape that hell. I will never be able to thank Tsunade for saving me from it and showing me the life that I was intended for. For the first time, since I was born, I feel free. Do you know what that feels like, Lieutenant Uchiha? Freedom? The ability to do what you want, whatever you want, however you want to? I pity you, who is trapped beneath your ignorance and your pride, and will never be able to taste it. So, you desire to return to your old life. What awaits for you there? Shackles! Oh no, not the literal sort. The government would never imprison their own precious advocate. You will remain a slave to the mutilated laws of the land. You will be kept closely under their thumb, shielded from the horrible truth. _I pity you_!"

She let out a huff of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off of her chest, and took a moment to calm herself. I sat and stared at her, at a sincere loss for words. I was dumbfounded by her explosion. "What would have become of me if she had not pulled me from the wreckage of that ship? I would have married you. We would have been married, even now, probably." She laughed bitterly. "Can you imagine? I wonder which one of us would have tried to do in with the other first. I guess you should be grateful to me. Once I was out of the picture, you were free to marry the first pretty little thing that struck your fancy. Hinata is just the type you like, isn't she? Kind. Quiet. Easily frightened into being obedient. She'd marry you and have your children and expect nothing else of you."

I still could say nothing in response to the speech that had left me awestruck, but her comment about Hinata snagged me back into my senses and brought words back to my tongue. "I didn't choose to marry Hinata." I said. "She, like you, was chosen for me by my father. After the Harunos, the Hyuugas were financially the next best choice. Hinata is a good person, but I hold no romantic interest in her. And if the decision was mine, I would not have chosen to marry her."

Why I had told her this, I did not know. I felt compelled to clear myself of any misunderstandings and attachments that the Captain might have thought I had with her, to mark myself as single and uninterested. I did not love her, and the idea of the Captain believing that I did was offensive. But this also had sparked a question, about myself, that I had never really thought much about before. If it were my decision, who would I have chosen to marry? Never, in all my years, had I felt like indulging myself in a woman. None of them had ever made a lasting impression, if any at all. With the exception of the Captain, but she was a different matter.

I did believe in finding love, against my better judgment. It was something that my mother had drilled into my head, that somewhere in the infinite universe was my destined soul mate, that even after her death I had never been able to let go. But what kind of woman would I love? Well, only someone who I could respect and consider equal. Someone kind and gentle, but spirited and smart. Someone remarkable. Someone outstanding... Someone...

Who was _nothing_ like the woman who stood before me, naturally.

The Captain blinked a couple times, letting the message settle into her mind. "You mean... your marriage really was arranged?" She asked. "You mean, you don't care for her?"

"Yes." I replied curiously. "That is true."

"Well then, why are the two of you still engaged? You can break it! Oh, this is wonderful... That's just too..."

"No." I said firmly. "She is still my fiancée, and I still intend to marry her."

The corners of her mouth turned downwards, her eyes dulling in disappointment and restrained anger. "But, why? If you don't love her, why on earth would you still want to marry her? You hold no obligation to her! She has defied your will and joined our crew. You should let her go, you should let yourself go."

"I cannot ignore the will of my father." I said. "What does it matter to you?"

"...She... Naruto..."

Speak of the devil.

He burst into the room, red faced and flustered, his blue eyes wide with panic. "Captain!" Naruto panted. "We're under attack!"

N e v e r S h a l l W e D i e

Alright, so you guys totally ROCK.

I ask for fifty reviews, and I get sixty-eight!

Do you have any idea how completely and totally thrilled that made me feel? I seriously was walking on clouds for days afterwards! My inspiration sky rocketed!

... Unfortunately, I have a bit of a case of writers block, and was having a bit of trouble getting this chapter out. Hence its shortness and poor quality of writing. I hope you will forgive me, as I intend to lengthen the chapters again and hopefully get them out a little faster. Your reviews can only help, so please, for the sake of all things holy, keep 'em coming! Donations to the hopelessly addicted! I need reviews like I need AIR.

Scratch that, air seems quite unnecessary in comparison.

Once again, I'll just throw out that I have a couple other stories posted that you might be interested in reading. -shameless self advertisement...-

And I'm looking for good SasuSaku reading material, so if anybody has recommendations, send 'em in to me!


	7. Battles and Bottles

T he S e a s B e O u r s

There was the deafening explosions of canons being fired as the enemy vessel caught their ship off guard, the clang of metal on metal as swords clashed, the desperate yells of orders as the crew scurried to prepare themselves, much too late. But there was a reason why Sakura's ship had such a fearsome reputation, and the crew would not be driven back so easily. They turned to face the opponents that sailed through the air from one ship to another, weapons raised and at the ready.

There was not a moment of time to lose. It amazed Sasuke how quickly the company of pirates snapped out of a slothful state and into one of action and order, and how they mediated only the necessary state of panic that would motivate them to defend themselves properly. One moment the Captain was yelling powerful, impressive words at him — and then next she was stripping off her dress while shouting and Naruto to take him to the brig. "But Capt'n," he protested, unaffected by the layers of clothing that dropped to the floor as she searched around for her pants. "You've seen how he is with a sword, he can help!"

"Not to be trusted!" She spat in reply, pulling on her pants under her under her skirts before tossing off the under robes and slipping on the loose fitting male shirt. "He'll turn against us in a heartbeat." She ripped off the white gloves, throwing them to the pile that began to accumulate on the floor. Sasuke tried to pretend that he had not just seen her undress and redress herself, even if she had done it in such a fashion that he didn't really _see_ much of anything besides the occasional glimpse of pale skin. He stood silently, unsure of what to do. "And he knows too much, Naruto. He knows too much! We can't risk letting him escape. And damn it! Where is my hat?"

"In the windowsill, with your sword." He replied. The sounds of a raging fresh battled roared outside, and for the first time Sasuke wondered who. Who would dare approach this ship, knowing its history? Surely, they had to be aware that they were trying to do the impossible, boarding Captain Hokage's vessel. But his questions would be answered shortly. Naruto took him by the arm and yanked him towards the door of the Captains quarters. "Well then, if the Capt'n says to the brig with you, to the brig with you. Sorry about this, but you brought it on yourself. We'll let you out when we win."

He was in a hurry, dragging him along without the empathy to bother and make sure that Sasuke could keep up. As soon as they were outside of Sakura's quarters, the enemy was made obvious. The military uniforms, which he had worn not too long ago himself, were unmistakable. He didn't even have the chance to deduce who had the upper hand before he was thrust harshly into the brig below the deck and shackled to the wall by Naruto, who sprinted upwards immediately afterwards, calling as he went: "Lets show the bastards what we're made of!" And shutting the door behind him.

**C h a p t e r V I I**

_Battles and Bottles_

And I found myself their prisoner once again. My stomach churned in anxiety and uncertainty, this was a different form of torture all together. I might as well have been stricken blind, because I felt hopelessly kept in the dark when I did not know what was going on above the deck. My mind felt ready to explode with the desperate desire to _know_. How many had been injured, killed? Who was the battle in favor of? How had the naval ship stumbled across Sakura's?

I followed closely the sounds that came from above, but they only increased my frustration. I heard the sounds of jeers and battle cries, and could not tell if they came from my comrades or the pirates. I felt the rumble of the ship as the cannonballs shot from the canons. Who was greater in number? Who was greater in skill? Would I be rescued, however embarrassing the concept might be, or would I be forced to watch what may be my last hope die?

I jumped whenever the sounds came near to the door, hoping that someone would come through to set me free, whether friend or enemy. My body tingled for a piece of the action, for the feel of a sword in my hand, the thrill of the fight. I longed to be a part of it. If only I had the common sense to say something in my defense earlier, to sling lies about my loyalty to Sakura, and convince her to let me fight. Of course, I _would_ turn on her in a heartbeat. But one does what one can. Escape was my first priority.

Or was it? Now that I knew who the Captain was, would it be right of me to let her be? Would it be right of me to force her back to her homeland and condemn her to a fate that could only lead to the gallows? Would it lead to the gallows? There was no doubt that Sakura was an important woman who came from a powerful family, but was she above the law?

Haruno Sakura: The news of her death had set off the biggest outrage of that year. She was the daughter of a rich aristocrat, one who was very well connected with my family, and speculated to have the largest dowry on the west side of the continent. When her parents were safely returned home after their trip to Paris was interrupted by Captain Hokage, they demanded the head of every pirate on the seas, criticizing the military and their lack of success in ridding the waters of criminals. Many others joined in, and the military was commonly labeled as incompetent by the wealthy population.

Her supposed death had brought about the largest indiscriminate slaughter of pirates in history. The higher-ups had no choice but to satisfy the furious demands of rich society, whose money and power held high influence over them. At the time I had not been a part of the military, as I was still too young, but I could remember the enormous line of people that had formed to await their turn at the gallows as I passed by every morning. Not only known pirates, but everyone who was connected to them, or suspected of being connected to them, was hanged.

The personal impact had been the smallest on me, it seemed, until I thought about what my life would have been like if she had returned on that rescue ship with her parents. My father expressed his condolences to a glum and crabby Mr. Haruno, who I had remembered as being so kindly and easy-going, and I attended her funeral. I was engaged to Hyuuga Hinata in her stead. But if she had returned, we... Well, we would most certainly be married, as she had said. It was difficult to imagine being married to her, picturing her in the same dress as she sat in one of my chairs at home and read or sewed. Eating dinner across from each other. Sharing a bed at night.

I sighed crossly and banged a closed fist against the wall of the boat, as a cannon went off nearby. What a dilemma I would be in, if only I weren't trapped below deck. But I yearned for my freedom regardless, for the opportunity to have that dilemma and make a decision. Take her with me, or leave her here at to be dealt with at a later time? Of course, Hinata would be brought with me, if this battle would eventually end with my side victorious.

Haruno Sakura. She just had to be Haruno Sakura, of all people!

I was growing fretfully impatient. I fidgeted relentlessly, following closely after the sounds above and searching for any signs of one side overpowering the other. I wondered what she would be doing now — yelling orders at her crew or dueling an unworthy opponent? There was not a doubt in my mind that I was the only other person with a feigning chance of matching her fencing skill. But this thought, however dreary it might have been, did not give me reason to fear. I knew only too well her policies, and although it did not excuse her from a life of crime, Sakura would not kill.

There might have been a shred of humanity left in her yet. Left in all of them, these pirates, who pranced around on their high horses behaving as if they were impregnable. I wished with all my heart that the military would at last knock some sense into them and bring them the justice they deserved. And I wished to be a part of that.

With that the door swung open and a figure emerged. I could hear the sounds of his heavy breathing as he approached and stepped through the darkness, coming slowly into view. My heart leaped at the sight of him. Of course I recognized the man with the unforgettable white, gravity-defying hair and the eye patch who barreled down the stairs to my aid, stopping only feet in front of me and displaying a small, rusted key with a proud smile. "Lieutenant." He greeted cheerfully. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

He freed me, and I spared nothing more than a few seconds to thank him graciously before charging up the stairs. As soon as I reached the upper level, I could feel my heart plummet into my stomach. It was quite easy to see who was winning, as the bodies dressed in uniform lay scattered and unconscious, but not dead, across the deck of the ship. The pirates cried victoriously, pushing back the few brave souls of the military who remained, fighting with all their might, although it was beginning to become obviously a futile effort. 

There were a few outstanding members of the crew that caught my eye right away. The odd ball Rock Lee, who was completely unarmed, span and kicked and punched the officers, sending them sprawling to the ground. He used nothing but his fists, which although idiotic, was quite remarkable. He was injured, but unwavering. He fought with the same enthusiasm that performed every day tasks with.

The brunette who the Captain had introduced to me as Tenten was flinging what seemed to be an unlimited supply of weapons every which direction, and even though it looked at first sight to be quite reckless, there was a surprising level of accuracy in her throws. The blond, Ino, hid behind a man with dark hair pulled up into a ponytail on top of his head, Shika-something was his name, I think, and ordered him about as he brandished his weapon lazily. And then there was the ever-conspicuous blond first mate, who shouted crude insults as he evaded the oncoming few that charged after him, challenging numerous other people as he went along. "That's right, come at me, you mangy dogs! I can take on you! I can take on all of you! And you too, you ugly son-of-a-bitch!" 

The Captain was at the center of it all, fighting off four or five people with a triumphant ease that sickened me. Haruno Sakura or not, there was no denying that she was talented with a sword. And then the twist in my stomach worsened when I came to realize that one of the people that she currently fought was none other than my Fiancée's cousin — Hyuuga Neji. The ship that had picked up the survivors of the previous attack must have followed in pursuit immediately afterwards. Of course, I criticized myself for not thinking of it sooner. They certainly would have realized the disappearance of Hinata and I and chased after Sakura. 

I knew that I needed to rush into action, but was unsure how to do so. Without my sword, I would be of little help to the situation. Of course, the most logical thing to do first would be to incapacitate the Captain of the ship and take it under our control. But without a weapon to defend myself with, going up against her would be suicide.

My train of thought was interrupted when a military personal unexpectedly slashed their sword at me. Instinctively, I jumped out of the way, only barely avoiding a poorly aimed blow. "What on earth are you doing?" I demanded incredulously, turning to him as he stumbled backwards, looking frightened. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Lieu-Lieutenant!" He stuttered. He must not have recognized me, seeing as I was dressed like one of them. "I'm so sorry, I thought that..." 

"Give me your sword." I demanded, outstretching an open hand towards him.

"B-but," he protested, holding it loosely in his shaking hands as he moved it about uncertainly. Towards me, and then back towards him. I recognized his face as someone who had only been recently accepted into the military, who was still quite young and unexperienced. I severely outranked him, but I could understand his reasoning. If he were to give his sword to me, it would leave him defenseless.

"Just give me the bloody sword, if you want any chance at all of being on the winning end of this fight!" I snapped, and he jumped in surprise before hastily relinquishing it to me. It was a poorly crafted sword, uneven and too short in length for my liking, but it would have to do. I blindly burst through the crowds of warring people, and ran towards the peacock feather that protruded up from the sea of heads. 

It was then at last that she noticed me, shock flashing through the green eyes that shone from beneath the shadow the hat created. "Who let him out?" She bellowed in a voice intentionally kept lower than her own. "And damn it, who gave him a sword? Somebody, stop him! Naruto!" The blond whipped his head towards me, and immediately disregarded his other opponents, jumping into my path. I skidded to a halt, nearly tripping over the unconscious body of one of my fallen comrades.

"Can't you stay put??" He demanded loudly, knocking his sword harshly against mine in an attempt to fling it out of my grasp. I kept it firmly in my hand. I advanced on him, avoiding making potentially fatal blows, as my intention was to get him out of my way and not kill him, not yet. He blocked all of them. But it had already been made clear in our last fight that he was no match from me, and I was pushing him back. The others who had been chasing him knew better than to interfere, and steered clear of us.

I was on the verge of knocking him off of his feet when he pointed dramatically to something over my shoulder. "HINATA!" He shrieked.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I was humiliated as I looked over my shoulder to see nothing and felt the sword torn from my hand and tossed over the side of the boat, creating a loud splash as it darted into the water below. He chuckled. "Get's 'em every time..." I stood horrified as he pointed the blade of his own sword against my throat. "Alright, back to the brig with ya--" 

But he didn't get to finish, because he was interrupted by the men who had been onlookers to our duel, who jumped in to defend me. I took the opportunity and bolted, careless of my lack of arms, towards the Captain. I caught sight of her again, but she was much too busy to notice that I was headed in her direction, not this time. Now even more had crowded around her, and they moved about so continuously that I couldn't count the number of bobbing heads that surrounded her. She was being pushed back into a corner, fighting with the same desperation that I had seen when I fought her for the first time.

And suddenly, the image of her dressed in that pretty gown looking out over the empty waters with that miserable expression on her face dominated my mind. She was a woman, damn it, regardless of the fact that she was the pirate of the Captain ship, and I had to do something! Thoughts of escape were erased from my mind, completely wiped away by the powerful instinct to do _something_, even though I wasn't quite sure _what_.

A sharp whack with the blunt end of her sword, and she sent one solider toppling over, bringing two others with him. Now it was just her and three other opponents, dodging swiftly around the unmanned helm. Hyuuga Neji was still among them, quite clearly leading the other two in their assault. My legs no longer seemed to be connected to my body, and seemed to run forwards on their own as I watched the fight intently, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

Sakura was too focused on fighting off the other two men who I could not put names to, although I recognized their faces, to notice when Neji crept around behind her. It was compelling and compulsive, a motion that I had no control over, and when Neji junged forwards to run her through, I stopped his blade with my bare hand.

It was a sharp, hot pain that struck me forcefully before dimming into a constant sting. I gritted my teeth as warm blood flowed down my forearm, grasping my wrist with my other hand tightly and drawing it back into my chest. Fortunately, Neji had recoiled before any serious damage was done, his pale eyes wide, his mouth hanging agape with surprise. "Uchiha?" He spluttered.

Within this time Sakura had already defeated the other two men, and they lay groaning, but immobile at our feet. Now she span on us, and with the advantage I had unintentionally gave her by throwing Neji off his guard, knocked him down to the ground, her sword pointed in between his eyes. He did not look at it, but continued to stare at me in horror, until he realized the implications of my actions, and his face twisted into disgust. "You bastard..." He muttered under his breath. "Traitor."

"No," I said. "You don't understand..."

But I was interrupted when the Captain raised her voice loudly above ours and called out to her crew. It was then that I looked around and came to accept the horrible truth. The battle was over. We had lost. "And that's that, gents!" She laughed. "Take this one to the brig, he bears an uncanny resemblance to our young Ms. Hyuuga that I'd like to investigate. Then get the rest of this garbage off of my ship, and sink theirs!" And then she turned to me, a disturbing smile curving her lips. "And you." She said. "Are in trouble."

--

It was stupid, I know. Only the most thoughtless and reckless people would reach forwards and grab onto the blade of a swinging sword. And there was nothing that was going through my head at the moment that could excuse that behavior.

"So what, think you're trying to be heroic, saving the damsel in distress?" She demanded, yanking the bandages much too tightly and causing me to wince. "Well, I regret to inform you that your efforts, however valiant they may be, are wasted on someone who can take care of herself." She tied the ends together, and gave my hand a firm and scolding pat. I winced again. "You're glad he didn't lop half of your hand off, you imbecile." 

"Are you regretting that I saved your life?" I asked bitterly, tearing my hand free from her grasp and holding it tenderly and protectively close to myself. "If so, we at last find something we have in common." I found myself once again sitting on the edge of her bed while she tended to my injuries. Outside I could hear the sounds of cleanup, the clunk of a hammer on nails as someone repaired the minimal damage to the ship, the laughter and boasting of the crew members. I scowled.

"I would have been fine." She insisted haughtily. "Those men were no match for me! You did nothing but make yourself out as a fool."

"He would have impaled you." I replied.

"He would not have." And of course, she would stick to her ridiculous claims. "And now I am left with nothing but a useless, injured, stubborn boar of a man. What good are you two me with the use of only one hand? I don't want to carry around your dead weight. Maybe I should toss you overboard, leave you with the other insolent military swine who dare opposed me, to hope that a ship passes by to pick you up soon." 

"By all means, go ahead." I grumbled in a spiteful monotone. "I'd be much obliged if you did." She was pacing back and forth across the room, her white shirt billowing as she moved. The pile of clothes that was the dress she had been wearing early that day remained scattered across the floor in disarray, and the rest of the contents of her foot trunk overturned in a more collected lump nearby it. On the top of it I spotted the package wrapped in red satin that she had been so intent on keeping out of my possession only a few days earlier.

"You know very well why I can't, as much as I'd love to have you out of my hair. It's your own fault, you know. Sticking your nose in other people's businesses. I can't very well let you strut off my ship now that you know full well who I am. You've lost your last chance of me ever letting you free." She said, turning her back towards me and pausing to look out the window. "Though, I do suppose that you _do_ only owe me one life now, instead of two. If you're so hell bent on believing so."

Even though her face was turned the other direction, I could tell that she was tensed and thoughtful — bothered by something. After a few more moments of silence she whirred, her lips pressed together and eyes narrowed. "Why?" She asked finally. "What on earth possessed you to do it? Both you and I know you'd love nothing more than to see me hang."

I sighed, irate. "Things... changed." Her face crumpled into a look of fury. "Sakura..."

"Don't call me that!" She hissed through clenched teeth. "Call me by my first name again, and you'll lose your vocal chords. It's 'Captain' to you." 

"Sakura." I said. "Sakura, Sakura, Sa-ku-ra, Sakura. You know who you are, I know who you are. I was not going to stand by and let you be killed. I'm taking you with us. I have to bring you back alive, now. You should have figured as much."

She picked a paperweight up off of her desk and whipped it at my head, so blinded by anger that she missed me entirely. "_Nothing_ has changed!" She yelled. "Nothing at all, can't you see that? I'm still the same person! I'm not Haruno Sakura, daughter of the noble Haruno family, any longer! I'm Haruno Sakura, Captian of this goddamn ship! I'm the Captain! You should have let me be! I'm the Captain of a pirate ship, not your obligation!"

I sat, silent. She was fuming as she stormed over to the pile of her old clothing. She picked up the red package and unwrapped it, pulling out a stack of paper. "Letters. Notes." She said. "All of them. I was planning to run away long before Tsunade rescued me, but I never had the guts to leave them for my parents to find and actually up and leave. But I kept them, in case I found need for them again." She rolled them up into a tight cylinder, grabbed an empty rum bottle off of her desk, and shoved them inside. Then she wandered over to the open window, and chucked it into the sea. 

Splash.

Next she began to gather up all of her clothing, stuffing it carelessly back in the large chest. She snapped it shut, and struggled to lift it off of the ground, and then carried it out of her room. Silence, silence, and then another deafening _Splash_.

She stormed back in and turned to me. "I haven't been that mindless doll for years. _That_ Haruno Sakura is _dead_."

A n d B y O u r P o w e r s

So thankfully, this chapter is a bit longer than the other two. The writers block seems to have lessened, a bit, but I'm still not entirely satisfied with the way this turned out. Thank to all of you awesome reviewers for your reviews and suggestions, it really kept me going!

On a more depressing note, I have decided the discontinuation of this story.

... Heheh. Sorry? 


	8. Land Ahoy!

L i k e A P r i s o n e d B i r d S e t F r e e

"So you're Hinata's cousin, is that right?"

He was glaring. It was a fearsome and intimidating glare, and his eyes were narrowed dangerously, but she had seen worse. After looking into the murderous, piercing eyes of Uchiha Sasuke — nothing would ever send shivers down her spine the same way again. "What have you done with her?" He asked in a calm, but commanding voice. She found no fear hidden behind his pearl-like orbs, but neither did she find the arrogance that she had seen in the Uchiha's. And for that reason alone, she found herself much more tolerable of him.

But they were all the same, these military men. Of course, in his eyes she (or if it really was in his eyes, he,) was the enemy. Of course, he first asked about the poor defenseless woman that he felt it was his duty to protect, in order to hide the fear that he felt for his own life. He jumped to conclusions, categorizing all pirates as 'evil.' She was not evil, no, he was the evil one. He was the self-righteous one. She would stamp him out of it.

Sakura still kept her gender a secret from him, her hat pulled over her head and titled downwards to hide most of her face. She noticed obvious efforts to crane his neck and get a better look, but she moved always as to keep her identity concealed. "Hinata is not my prisoner. She stays here on her own free will. She earns her keep, and keep her we shall, so long as she wishes to remain." She said. "Hinata has gained my trust and is free to leave any time she pleases. Though, I highly doubt she ever will. You, on the other hand..."

She swept her hat gracefully off of her head. He went rigid. "Are a different matter. There are secrets on this ship that must never be leaked, and because of that, I'm afraid we can no longer let you go free. If you agree to become a member of my crew, we will accommodate you the best we can and allow you whatever freedoms we can afford. If, however, your loyalties can not be swayed, we will be forced to dispose of you."

He was still frozen with shock, and it took a moment or two for him to regain his composure. There was contemplation in his eyes as he looked into Sakura's, before they fell downcast, and his lips pursed together. "I'll have to think about it." He muttered finally. Sakura nodded and rose, satisfied that the negotiation was going a great deal better than the last one, and retreated above the deck of the ship to give him time alone with his thoughts. He had potential, this one.

A few of the crew members were looming around, looking expectant. "It's only a matter of time now." Sakura said to Tenten, who stood nearest to her. "But I'm pretty sure he's convinced." And after the Captain walked away to attend to other matters, Tenten slipped beneath the deck and into the brig. Minutes later, she returned, announcing his agreement to cooperate, and his membership in the crew.

**C h a p t e r V I I I**

_Land Ahoy!_

"So it was _you_!" 

I awoke to the sounds of the Captain's yells, and half-expected to find her leaning over my bed, scowling, mouth open and ready to chastise me for something or another that was more than likely not my fault. Instead she was off near to the doorway, standing across from the white-haired man with one hand on her hip and the other pointed at his chest. He lifted his hands to his face defensively. "You break into my room, steal my keys, and then let that lunatic free! Are you mad? Are you trying to get me killed?" 

"On the contrary, Sakura. If I had not let him go, he would not have stopped young Lieutenant Hyuuga from running you through, and you would be very much dead." He man replied with a smug smile, and upon finally noticing that I had awoken, turned his head towards me and gave me a polite nod of recognition. "Good morning."

It was an understatement to say that I was confused. There was something evidently awry with this picture, of my savior standing and chatting leisurely with my enemy, as if they were old friends that had gotten on one another's nerves. Sakura glanced at me briefly, before turning her attention back to the other man and opening her mouth to retort. I interrupted her. "You..." I breathed, drawing my eyebrows together.

"Are a spy, yes." He replied, as if reading my mind. And he said it much too casually, as if it were something he was blatantly proud of. My mind whirred angrily. I had trusted him, from the first time I had met him, and it was foolhardy of me. I had known straightaway that there was something off about his character, but I had chose to ignore it. But then there was something else that didn't make sense, if he were actually an enemy, why had he set me free the other day? "I masquerade as an aristocrat on military ships that carry expensive goods or could be potentially threatening, and inform our lady Captain here of their whereabouts."

There was something about his graceful demeanor that caused irrational respect and I could not allow myself to be openly rude to him. I kept quiet, despite the furious comments that rose to my tongue. "Enough," Sakura said, directed more at the man than at myself. "I'm not through with you yet, Kakashi. You better explain to me your reasoning behind letting him go. I don't want to lose my trust in you." She said. And of course, all three of us knew what that meant. If he were to prove untrustworthy, he would not be permitted to leave the ship again.

"Well," he said calmly. "I was so disappointed that I missed your last sword fight. I was hoping to give myself a second chance to see it."

She seemed satisfied by his answer, and surprisingly relieved. She did nothing but sigh and shaking her head, muttering something incomprehensible under her breath. "No harm done, right?" He concluded with a breezy chuckle, his shoulders shaking. "But if you don't mind, Sakura, I'd like to stay on board this time until you can drop me off somewhere suitable. I don't know how long it will be until the men on that ship are rescued."

"Fine enough by me." She replied. "You're always welcome." And she looked as if she were going to say something else, but there came loud knocking on the door and she instead went to answer it. I took this as a suitable time to get out of bed, and tossed off the covers, finger-combing through my tangled hair as I stood. What I wouldn't do for a bath and a clean mirror. I probably looked as dirty and disheveled as the rest of them.

"Captain, if you would be so kind as to grace me with your glorious presence for a word or two?" I didn't have to guess twice to recognize who stood outside of the Captain's quarters. If not his undeniable voice that made me cringe like it were nails being raked on a chalkboard, then the bizarre choice of words were a dead giveaway.

"You flatter me, Lee." Sakura replied with a soft tone of voice that I was unaccustomed to hearing, unless she was speaking to Hinata, and stepped outside, not bothering to shut the door behind her. I stared at the white-haired man with the eye patch, who Sakura had referred to as Kakashi, with both bitter resent and humbled adoration. I still wasn't quite sure what to think of him. He had turned to watch Sakura and Lee as they spoke, listening in on their conversation. 

"We unfortunately ran out of canon balls while sinking the enemy vessel yesterday, and had to resort to using potatoes instead." Lee said. So _that_ was the unexplained mystery behind the unreasonable potato storage of this ship. They used it as makeshift ammo. "So we'll need to find a the nearest port and stop to buy supplies."

The Captain's face split into a smile, her eyes twinkling thoughtfully. "Perfect timing. I've been meaning to visit Tsunade, recently, and we need to drop off Kakashi somewhere. Very well then, Lee, thank you. We should arrive shortly, if you can make it until then." She nodded and dismissed him, and he scurried away after bowing to her over enthusiastically, provoking a giggle. She _giggled_.

"He's the student of an old colleague of mine." Kakashi said suddenly to me. I was startled, and blinked as he continued. "The apple really doesn't fall too far from the tree." It was bad enough that there was one person like Rock Lee in the world, and the idea of two made me shudder. "Well, Sakura," this was the third time he had used her first name, which seemed totally out of line, but went without reprimand.  
"If you'd excuse me, I'll find something to busy myself with." And he left the room, leaving the two of us alone again.

She turned to me. "Well, seeing as you have rendered yourself useless," she began spitefully. "I suppose you have the day off. Do as you please, but don't get in anyone's way. Especially mine."

But I wasn't really concerned with what I would do with my day, there were other questions on my mind. "So what exactly allows him to get away with calling you by your first name?" I asked, completely off topic. She looked perplexed, cocking her head slightly to one side. "That man, Kakashi. And what happened to his eye?"

I was surprised when she gave the answers so freely, as usually, when involving her, I had to fight for them. "I've known Kakashi since long before I became Captain of this ship." She said. "Tsunade regarded him highly, and he was once my superior. So, I suppose that I'm quite used to it. Sometimes I don't remember that my status is now above his. And there's nothing wrong with his eye, he can see fine with both." 

She spoke of him fondly. I had no intentions to pry further into the matter, and quite apparently, neither did she. "I have better things to do then chat with you." She said abruptly, abandoning the pleasantries that I was unaccustomed to. Something had put her in a good mood, and it wasn't me. "Don't get yourself into trouble." And she went off to do whatever it was that was clearly more important than I was.

She had said I could do as I pleased, so long as I did not get in anyones way, and I planned to stretch that one boundary as far as I could. This day would provide me the perfect opportunity to pick back up the occupation that I had temporarily forsaken, due to unprecedented obstacles that had deterred me. I still had one goal in mind, and that was escape. The first step was finding my sword.

I was making progress. I had already begun to formulate a plan around the discovery of the hiding place of his weapon. It was still a bit blurry around the edges, but it was a start. I would best Sakura in fencing, then take her as my hostage, and the crew would undoubtedly be forced to comply to my will. There of course was the fact that my sword was hidden in any given place on the ship, and it boggled my mind to try to think of all the places it could be hidden, by some unknown person. This posed a bit of a problem.

But, unfortunately for the Captain's not-so-brilliant plan, I was thoroughly convinced that for me, nothing was an impossibility. It was all within the mentality, and regardless of the common perception, a woman's mind was not all that complex. It had not taken me an eternity to come to notice that Sakura was borderline obsessed with trust, and kept a strict line separating those who she could and those who she could not. She only would have given the important task of hiding my weapon to someone who she felt she could totally confide in.

And then, who else would I turn to first other than that ever faithful thing attached to her hip — the first mate, Naruto?

When I ventured out to search for him, the first thing that caught my eye was something I wasn't quite sure that I was really seeing: Hyuuga Neji, trailing after Tenten as she introduced him to the rest of the crew. It might have struck me as odd that Sakura herself was not, as she done to me, but I was too absorbed by the phenomenon before me. Hyuuga Neji. Walking around. _Free_. Whereas in the first several days of my captivity, I was kept chained to a wall below deck, at the mercy of the swaying boat, starving.

"Ah, and you've already met Mr. Uchiha, I believe?" Tenten said, gesturing towards me as Neji turned to face me. He gave me a curt nod, but did not meet my eye. I could see what he was stiff with. Shame, shame because he had caved in so easily.

"You submitted so easily?" I demanded, ignoring the presence of Tenten as I stared at him, making no attempt to mask my disgust. He seem unaffected by my anger-fueled glower. "You forsake your duty and country, just like that?"

Now he turned to me, offended, the line of his mouth tightening. "You are incorrect." He deadpanned, bitingly. "If anything, I behaved more rationally that you did. What they asked of me was not unreasonable, and their values are not quite so twisted as I was lead to believe. To agree to their terms would be in both my best interest and in that of Hinata's." Quite clearly, I was mistaken. He was not shamed by his actions, not even the slightest. If then, why was he so uncomfortable around me?

It was then that Naruto decided to do me the favor of finding me instead of waiting for me to find him, and much to my luck, walked up to us, clapping a hand on Neji's shoulder. "Alright then, I can feel a storm coming. No fighting aloud on the ship, otherwise the Captain will get involved, and then you know what happens. She'll end up nearly murdering the both of you. Sasuke over here," he looked at me, his eyes glinted mischievously. I anticipated a rude comment before he even made it. "Is just sour because he almost died twice, and was saved by the Captain both times, before he became a member of the crew."

"Which is another reason why I accepted their offer more readily than you did." Neji added, shifting awkwardly as he diverted my gaze again. "I'd rather not become the Captain's personal whore in order to earn my meals, thank you very much. It only came to that arrangement because you were too stubborn and prideful, Uchiha. To be in such a position... aren't you a man? Overpowered by a woman...How pathetic."

And I was beginning to think that I was finally rid of that horrendous rumor. How foolish of me. "There is no truth behind that story!" I spat, and I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks, which only worsened at the sound of Naruto's hysterical laughter. "I peel potatoes, for god's sake! It never happened! And I never would have let such a thing happen, either!"

"Oh, please." Naruto cut in, clutching the sides of his stomach. "The only reason you weren't raped like the pitiful, defenseless little boy you are was because I happened to walk in before she managed to strip you of all your clothes." He howled, loud enough for everyone on the entire ship to hear. Heads turned towards us. Neji quirked a brow. Smug little bastard.

"Excuse me."

The Captain's voice was nerve-racking, low and threatening, a murderous hiss. It caused the onlookers to jump fearfully and return to their work, as if they hadn't noticed anything at all, and the remainder of us to freeze. "I'd like to clear up a common misconception." She continued. "No such event transpired. Ever. Am I quite understood?"

"Yes Captain!" Squeaked Tenten, and Naruto nodded vigorously. Neji had paled, and did not reply, but she didn't seem too bothered by his lack of response. Instead she turned to me, her expression softening somewhat, but still far from friendly.

"I'd like to speak with you, please." She said, and stepped aside. I looked at Naruto uncertainly before following after her. She stopped near the side of the boat, and I looked out over the waters. It rose and fell, like the ocean was breathing, and the boat dipped with its movement. "In a short time we will be arriving at a nearby port to buy supplies, as you might have heard earlier this morning. At which point, I will be leaving the ship to visit Tsunade. Naruto is accompanying me, and without us, you pose a serious danger to the crew. And unfortunately, I don't feel in a cruel enough mood to lock you back in the brig. So you will be joining us, so I can keep an eye on you."

I could feel the hope swell in my chest. This reeked of an opportunity for escape.

S e e k i n g T h e S t o r m y D e e p

Just kidding.

Oh mah gawd. You guys were TOTALLY eating it out of my hands! That was hilarious! You guys are a laugh and a half!

And yes, that means no, I never intended to discontinue the story. That's probably why it seemed so out of the blue, because I threw it in there as a last minute joke. And a joke it was. By my standards, anyway. I have a twisted sense of humor. For some reason, I find the idea of lotsa angry people yelling at me very appealing. -nod-

So, I apologize to those of you who wrote out fucking long reviews, trying to convince me to continue my story. If it's of any constellation, if it had truly been my plot to ditch the story, you probably WOULD have convinced me to continue. But seriously... The extent to which some of you guys freaked was frightening. And flattering. I feel so _loved. _

I was intending to make this chapter a great deal longer, but I really wanted to finish it up tonight so I could just reassure you guys that EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE _OKAY. _I would never stop now! I love you guys too much!

So take a chill pill. Maybe two, for you special cases. And leave me a review? If you don't forgive me, and don't FEEL like reviewing, might I remind you that I DID update a new chapter. A DAY LATER. Some props, please?


	9. Keelhauled

O h B e t t e r F a r T o L i v e A n d D i e

"It's been too long." She agreed. "Much too long."

And with a sweeping gesture of the hand Tsunade stepped aside to invite Sakura in. Her house was well furnished, she noted, but not quite too her taste. Everything was too perfect, too pristine — like she was looking inside of one of the doll houses she had been given as a child, which, despite the urgings of her parents, she had never played with. She supposed that with the money Tsunade had earned during her years of captaining, she could afford her whims, however expensive they might have seemed. The arms and of the chesterfield were carved out of a polished mahogany, that curled into whorls and pointed outwards, and the upholstery was a pale tan embroidered with gold colored thread. A matching chair sat across from it, a book propped up on its seat.

The only thing that Sakura felt she could agree with was the thick row of bookshelves on the far wall and the rather lovely tapestry that hung above the chesterfield. And besides, she thought. The house didn't suit her former mentor in the least. Tsunade had a certain degree of class, there was no mistaking it — but she was still sloppy around the edges and naturally defiant of conformity, and the house was much too well kept for someone who could hardly keep well herself. An opened bottle of scotch was hidden under the chair, either of its glass sides running parallel to the leg. A poor attempt at hiding it. "Still a drunkard, I see." Sakura said with a smirk, bending downwards and sweeping it from the floor before bringing it to her lips and taking a long drink.

"Hah, as if you're any better!" The woman scoffed, brushing long locks of golden hair over her shoulder. "Now give me that back, you presumptuous freeloader." She strode across the room in one long step, snatching the bottle roughly from the unsuspecting hands of the current Captain, and held it possessively against her full chest. "I paid good money for this. And no, don't sit your dirty bottom down on my clean furniture! God knows the last time those clothes were washed! If you really need to be seated, pull in one of the wooden chairs from the dining room. I'll make us some tea."

Tsunade disappeared into the kitchen. "They're perfectly clean, thank you very much. Except for some dried blood that I accidentally sat on the other day... But, well, never mind! God have mercy on my soul if I dirty your pretty little ornaments. I tell you, Tsunade, all this glamor has changed you." But Sakura dragged a chair from the dining room anyway, letting the hind legs scrape along the wood of the floors before letting it clatter to all fours. She did not sit, but rather browsed across the bookshelves, letting her eyes flicker briefly across each title. "Who have I to look up to now? You've turned into a prude."

"Hardly." The older woman called over her shoulder, jumping in surprise when the tea kettle screamed. "I just play the part. Retirement has its downsides, too. Relive my old lifestyle, and I might as well put a sign on my door that says: 'I'm a wanted criminal!'. Besides, being proper isn't all that bad as long as you don't let it get to your head. I don't have anyone to make a statement for any longer, Sakura. Not even myself. I already know who I am." The was the familiar clink of china teacups being set on china saucers. Sakura hadn't heard that sound for a long time. "Do you want one lump of tea in your sugar or two?"

Sakura stared at her companion incredulously as she wandered out of the kitchen cautiously, staring at the tea as it sloshed against the sides of the cup and steading her movements. Tea spilled over the edge, running down the side and forming a ring around the bottom of the cup. "Have you forgotten me completely?" The young Captain demanded as she sat herself down on the wooden chair, forgetting about the tantrum she had intended to throw about being forced to sit there, and didn't take her eyes away from the blond woman as a teacup was shoved into her hand. "Asking me such a question! Tsunade!"

"Fine, fine. You can have seven lumps of bloody sugar if you absolutely insist. You're going to eat me out of house and home. And get fat doing it, too!" Tsunade began to spoon the sugar into the cup that was outstretched towards her by Sakura, who watched with eagerly gleaming eyes. She lost count and accidentally put in _eight_ lumps of sugar, instead. Sakura didn't complain. Tsunade leaned back and watched as Sakura took a timid sip of her drink, testing, before spewing the contents of her mouth back into the cup because it was still too hot. Her expression softened. "So tell me Sakura, who is he?"

The girl quirked a delicate, pink brow, running her tongue along her smooth teeth to soothe the burning feeling. "Who is who?"

"Don't play foolish with me, girl. You have the face of a woman in love."

**C h a p t e r I X**

_Keelhauled_

As soon as I felt my feet on solid ground, relief flooded into me and spread from my chest to my fingers and toes. I breathed in the clean air, and relished in the feeling of being more grounded than I had been in what seemed like an eternity, filled with a strong sense of purpose and determination. It had been their irreversible folly to let me off the ship, even if it had looked to be the best decision at the time. They had thrown me directly back into my element, where I wasn't distracted by sea sickness and the erratic swaying of the ground beneath my feet. How anyone could stand sailing was still beyond me.

Already my mind was calculating the best escape plans, my eyes darting about the bustling port and looking for the best route to freedom. I spotted a clear shot through a strip market, and my legs ached to run. But I kept myself firmly rooted in place. It was too early, now. He would be expecting me to run. I would have to wait until his mind drifted out of focus, because even if I could easily outrun him, which I assumed, he was still armed and I was not. The Captain had gone up ahead of us, saying that we were to join her after she had a while to visit alone, and I was left under the watchful guard of Naruto. "Best not be trying anything." He said, as if reading my mind. "It's useless."

"I'm well aware." I lied.

Of course, I would not leave Hinata or her cousin alone to fend for themselves. No, that had never been my intention in the first place. As soon as Sakura had told me that I would be accompanying them, a plan fell together. I knew that she would do everything in her power to keep me her prisoner until the day I died now that I knew her identity. And when I broke away from them, she would not set sail again until she was confident that both I and her secret were under control. She would send all people available to search for me, and this presented the opportunity to pluck the Hyuugas from them. Capturing Sakura would be a more difficult matter, but I would think through it at a later time. Rescuing the other two was my first priority.

The port was full of life and thick with a crowd of bodies that chattered loudly. We weaved our way through them, keeping our heads low, ignoring the pairs of eyes that trailed after us. Naurto kept one hand on the hilt of his sword at all times, tense, waiting, and peered over his shoulder every so often to make sure that I was still behind him and checking for any obvious suspicious behavior. He seemed almost disappointed when he spotted none, the corners of his lips turning down in a frown. I quirked a questioning brow, and he ignored it, turning abruptly to face forwards. Our boots scuffed along the road in unison, leaving marks in the dirt. "The Captain's waiting on us, so we'd better hurry." Naruto spoke over his shoulder, an attempt at starting conversation.

"Hn." I replied uninterestedly, looking aimlessly to the side. I immediately wished that I hadn't. I caught the eyes of a group of obnoxiously giggling girls, who were stumbling over themselves as they hesitantly made their ways towards me, covering their mouths with their hands and whispering amongst themselves. "He looked this way!" One shrieked, batting her eyelashes at me. The last thing I needed or wanted at the moment was to be interrupted by a horde of flirts.

This caught Naruto's attention, and he shot his head over towards them curiously. His face split into a grin. He slicked his hair back with his hand, and halted so suddenly that I nearly bumped into him, cupping a hand over his mouth and leaning in towards me. "You take one half and I'll take the other." He whispered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. So much for not keeping the Captain waiting.

"No thanks." I muttered sourly. "You go right on ahead. I'm engaged, remember?"

At this his face fell, and he blinked with a realization. "Oh, right, Hinata!" He said, and suddenly he seemed so much less interested in the women who were slowly but surely approaching. I supposed that the rumors that had been circulating around the ship were true, and that there was some romantic involvement between he and my Fiancée. But I couldn't have cared less. What she did with whom before our marriage was no concern of mine, and if she felt she found some fulfillment in having an irrational fling, then by all means, she could fling away. The engagement was in no real danger. She was too sensible a woman to do anything to defy either her father or I. Not that I gave a damn.

"Excuse us, gentlemen." The spokesperson of the twittering clique spoke, snapping me out of my train of thought. The look that she was giving me unnerved me entirely — like she was trying to undress me with her beady little eyes, or the way that a starving man would stare at a feast. I suppressed a shudder. "You look to be a little lost. Could we point you in the right direction? Or, if not, I'm sure we could show you a good time." She fingered a button on my blouse. I could feel my nose crinkle in distaste.

"No thanks, ma'am." Naruto replied politely before I had a chance to speak in my own defense, flashing them a row of surprisingly straight, white teeth. "I know this port like the back of my hand. And I'm married, and he--" he jabbed his thumb in my direction. "Is the personal whore of a close friend of mine who is very possessive of him, and would be awfully upset if he was violated." Anger bubbled up inside of me, threatening to leak out in the form of vehement denials and vicious throttling of the blond first mate, but as not to cause a scene, I kept it inside, letting out nothing more than a sharp, controlled exhale. "Now, if you'd excuse us, we'd best be on our way. Come along, whore."

He grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me away from the disheartened women, who hung their heads and sighed. "Someone must have paid a hefty price for _that_ one." I heard one say before he pulled me out of ear range, down a secluded alleyway. Once there he released his grip and let out a breezy laugh.

"I'd be much obliged if you didn't mention that bit to the Captain." He chuckled abashedly, pretending to be unaffected by my murderous glower. "You know how touchy she gets about that subject. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, after all. And trust me, in case you hadn't noticed already, mate, you do not want the Captain's fury unleashed on you." He patted me on the shoulder. My expression was unwavering.

"_I'll kill you._" I growled. "In your sleep."

He laughed nervously, brushing my threat off before continuing down the alleyway that ran along the back of a row of houses. I glared daggers into the back of his head for a little while longer before following reluctantly after him, making an effort to drag my feet along so he could hear my resent. When he didn't look over his shoulder once, I was satisfied that I had made my point, and stepped into stride with him. He sneaked a glance at my face, and his shoulders sagged in relief when he saw that I no longer looked ready to snap him in two over my knee.

He stopped in front the back door of a narrow, but tall brick house, and knocked his knuckles against it a couple times before stepping back and tapping his foot impatiently. I watched the door as it opened to reveal an unhappy looking Sakura, no longer sporting her hat. "There you two are! Took you bloody long enough." She snapped. "Well, get in here already. Wipe your boots on the mat. And Uchiha, if you don't behave yourself, I'll strap you to the underside of my ship. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"

"Crystal." I replied, meeting her eyes. She narrowed them in warning before turning on her heel and storming back the direction that she had came. I dragged the souls of my boots along the mat once thoroughly before following in after her, ignoring Naruto who remained behind, determined to remove every speck of dirt from his footwear before entering. I scrutinized the insides of the house carefully, admiring the paintings that hung in the hallway and letting myself sink into the ease of a familiar atmosphere.

I walked towards the murmur of voices down the hallway. "Denial doesn't become you, Sakura." An unfamiliar one said quietly before I stepped into the room and halted their conversation. My eyes fell upon the previous Captain's at the same time that hers fell upon me, and they locked together as we silently surveyed each other. There was an air of grace and sternness about her, but something mocking in her expression. Her amber orbs drifted down to my feet, and then back up to my face, lingering there as her lips curled and she unsuccessfully tried to hide her smile behind her tea cup. She glanced at Sakura, back at me, and then back at Sakura. "Oh. _I see_." She said finally, her tone raising a couple of pitches with mirth.

There was quite obviously some significance in this statement that I was unaware of, for Sakura slammed her cup down on her saucer with unnecessary force and jolted upright, letting out an indignant huff. "_Him_? Oh please, don't be ridiculous, Tsunade. Old age has made you senile. Spouting nonsense. Nonsense!" And she very well might have gone on, spluttering out things that made little sense to me, if Naruto had not intruded at that very moment and loudly announced his presence.

"Hey, you old hag!" He said, waving his arms around as what I supposed was some sort of greeting.

"Do you want me to snap your neck?" The woman replied coolly, sipping her tea. "Noisy child. Have a seat, the both of you. Don't just stand there looking clueless. Sakura, fetch them some cups and pour them some tea." Sakura stared at her, wide eyed and furious, before rising and stomping off haughtily, mumbling incoherent things under her breath as she went. I was unable to keep away a smirk, amused at seeing her ordered around by someone else. I watched her storm into the kitchen and search through the cupboards for matching tea cups, before my host addressed me. "Are you deaf, man? I said sit." I planted myself hastily on the chesterfield next to Naruto, who was picking at loose strings. "A name, please."

"Lieutenant Uchiha Sasuke, ma'am." I replied. Sakura returned, carrying two cups on saucers, and sloshed tea into both of them before shoving one into my hands and the other into Naruto's, who studied it as if it was something foreign that he hadn't the first idea what to do with, before taking a testing slurp.

Sakura seated herself. "Oh, sure. They get to sit on the nice clean furniture, now do they?"

Tsunade ignored her, not taking her eyes from me once. The taste of tea was something I was used to and welcomed, and I enjoyed it slowly, savoring, as she watched me drink. "Your story, Lieutenant?" She spoke my title with unmasked bitterness and clear disapproval. It was no surprise to me that her opinion of the military did not differ from Sakura's. Sakura was her creation — someone who had been molded by her ideals and beliefs. "And what happened to your hand?" She asked, staring at the bandaged palm that I kept in my lap.

Naruto was more than eager to speak on my behalf, and did so unasked, setting down his tea on a corner table and leaving it there, forgotten. "Well, you see, it all started when we got a tip off from Kakashi that the military had just finished building a vessel and had sent it out on its maiden voyage around where we were sailing. So we attacked and swung across so we could pilfer what we could, and that's when I met this guy. We started fighting, right? And he, it was just luck of course, was sort of kind of winning, so I pointed out that one of our men had found a girl aboard the ship and was carrying her across. It turned out that she was actually his Fiancée, so what does the nutter do? He charges right after us and swings onto our ship, _alone_, and demands that we give her back! I know!" He said in response to Tsunade's expression -- something between amazement and horror. "He's completely off of his rocker, this one!"

He continued to speak, uninterrupted. "And the Captain found him funny, so she makes him a bet. She said that if he could beat her in a fencing match, that she'd give him back his Fiancée, Hinata, and drop him off safety wherever he wanted to be dropped off, and if he could, she'd give him her hat! And do you know what he does? He makes fun of her hat. Pokes fun at it! So she says that he wouldn't even be able to knock it off of her head, and he accepts, and they start fighting. And only by luck, of course, he actually _does_ knock off of her hat, and well, you know, once she's not wearing the hat, it's pretty obvious she's a woman. He must have been _pretty_ surprised. I mean, god, you should have seen the look on his face! And while he's all shocked, I stepped in and tripped him, and he fell over backwards, and the Captain had him thrown below deck."

"Well, we were doing the usual, giving him his options. He could join us, starve below the deck, or walk the plank. And you know what he says? -- because just like I say, he's insane — he says he'll walk the plank! And, I mean, it's not the first time anybody chooses that option at first, I did too. But nobody actually goes through with it. He walked right off the end! Jumped into the water! And he doesn't have the first idea how to swim! So, of course, the Captain jumps right in after him. And then I had to jump in too, because she couldn't pull him out on her own. And the entire crew ended up having to help us lug his sorry ass out of the water. We were sure he was a goner, but the Captain brought him back alright. And then after he had woken up, she had him locked back in the brig to starve. And then he got awful sick and almost died, again! The Captain stayed by his bedside the entire night, nursing him back to health. And once he came back to his senses, she said she was sick and tired of saving him and he had no other options than to join the crew."

"So he finally agreed to earn his keep and started working in the kitchen with Lee. Well that was all fine and dandy for a while, but we hadn't counted on the crew of that last ship being picked up so quickly and coming after us. They must have been coming to rescue Hinata and him, see? And the Captain has him put back below the brig, _again_, so he couldn't get in our way and turn on us. Because he still hates us and tries to escape all the time. But Kakashi lets him go, because he was all upset he got to miss their last sword fight, and he starts running up along the deck and causing trouble for me. Somehow he managed to get a hold of another sword, and me and him start going at it again. And then I mentioned Hinata and pointed over his shoulder, because it seemed to work so well last time, and do you know what? He fell for it! Again! So I took the sword and dropped it in the water. But then I get attacked by all these other guys, and he runs off."

"Well turns out he was trying to find the Captain, why, I do not know. But she was fighting off a good five or six people at once, and getting pushed back. She took care of most of them, but then one sneaked around behind her, and it probably would have been nasty, but Sasuke reached in with his bare hand and grabbed the blade of his sword, stopping the blow. That's what happened to his hand. I keep telling you. He's crazy. So we won and ended up sinking their ship, too, but we ran out of canons and had to use potatoes. That's why we're here, to buy some more potatoes. And Sakura wanted to drop in and say 'Hi.' We had to bring him along because we didn't want to leave him alone to stir up trouble. He's high maintenance, he is." He inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Phew. What a mouthful."

Although I did not agree with some parts of Naruto's retelling, seeing as I was fairly certain that I was perfectly sane, I did not speak up. Neither did Sakura, who did little else besides scowl at the contents of her teacup. She was quite clearly looking back on the memories with disdain, and more than likely would have preferred to have not been reminded of them. "That is quite the story." Tsunade said finally, her expression indeterminable. What an understatement.

Naruto moved his eyes back and forth shiftily, before darting across the room over towards Tsunade sat and whispering in her ear. Sakura lifted her eyes to watch them, her stare suspicious and accusatory, and squinted as if trying to make out what they were saying. I pretended to pay no mind, but I too was trying to make sense of the hisses and whispers and determine that topic that Naruto felt could not be discussed out loud. I had a hunch... Ah, there it was. My shoulders stiffened. The unmistakable words: 'whore' and 'rape.'

"She tried to do _what_?" The woman finally exclaimed, drawing back and looking to Sakura, who turned red from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears, and then to me. "My god, Sakura!" Naruto snickered nervously, slinking further away from Sakura, who looked like a volcano ready to erupt, and into a corner. "The extremes a woman in love will go to."

That word caused Naruto to blanch with confusion, and Sakura to blab unintelligible things, turning even more red than before, if that was even possible. "What? Whose in love?" Naruto asked, blinking his wide, perplexed eyes.

"Why, Sakura is, of course. Hadn't you noticed? She practically walks as if she's floating on a cloud." Tsunade replied.

"Actually, it seems more to me like she tromps around like an angry elephant." Naruto said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Sakura continued to babble and stutter, making out nothing of sense, furious, but nobody paid her much mind. Tsunade's eyes caught mine, and they twinkled mischievously, as if she was trying to hint me something that I hadn't gotten.

"Same thing, for her." Tsunade said.

Why, she must have been implying that... Sakura was actually in _love_ with that obnoxious abnormality, Rock Lee! How preposterous. She was above him in every way imaginable. She was completely and entirely out of his league. And to suggest that someone with class and taste like _her_ was in _love_ with a disgrace like _him_ was nonsensical. But still, there was undeniable evidence. The way she fawned over him was sickening, like she actually tolerated his peculiar behavior, like she actually enjoyed it. Not that I cared. No, I didn't care the least who she infatuated herself with. Yes, I'd love to remove his hideous eyebrows in the most painful way possible, shave off his melon-shaped haircut, skin him alive, cook him, and then she what she found so very wonderful about him — but that was for a purely unrelated reason, I'm sure.

"That's quite enough!" Sakura finally snapped, rising to her feet. "It's been a nice visit, Tsunade, but I'm afraid we must be on our way. Other business to attend to, you'll understand. I hope to be seeing you again soon. We can show ourselves out, thank you very much." She turned briskly and strutted towards the doorway. I assumed this meant we were supposed to follow her.

Sakura. In love with HIM!

I knew that it was now or never. I was growing short on time and opportunities, and I would have to make my escape soon, or else I would never be free. They had not seemed to notice my sudden anxiety, the way my muscles tensed and I looking around nervously. The market that we stood in was the perfect place to run, where they could be slowed by the sea of bodies, but my timing would need to be perfect if I intended to pull this off flawlessly. It was trying my patience, but I had to wait. "How many potatoes do you have in stock right now, sir?"

The vendor looked confused and twirled his mustache with his fingers. "I don't know. Hundreds." He said with an uncomfortable shrug. He had not torn his eyes away from Sakura's hat since we had turned down this street. We were attracting quite a deal of attention with her flaunting that hat, and this posed a bit of a problem. I had to wait until they wouldn't notice me slip away. Not her, not him, and not anybody else on the street. "Why?"

"Perfect." She said, slamming down a velvet pouch on the counter. Gold pieces spilled out of the top of the bag. "We'll take the lot." The merchant's eyes glistened greedily, and his fingers twitched towards the gold coins. He picked one up and examined it closely. She tossed him another bag. "And that is for you if you will find us some men to load them onto my ship."

Perfect. She was too busy waiting for the outcome of her proposition, her eyes fixed on the man in front of her, and Naruto was too busy eying the gold pieces and licking his chapped lips, and I was left forgotten at their side. I stepped aside slowly, a few movements at a time, so they would not notice a sudden jolt, and then sprinted down the street in the opposite direction. I did not look behind me. I ran, and I ran, as fast as my legs would carry me, pushing through the crowds of befuddled people, ignoring the angry cry that sounded from Sakura. "After him!" She shrieked. "Don't let him get away! For gods sake, Naruto, don't let him get away! He knows my name!"

I could feel the desperate tap of their feet as they chased after me, and my heart pounded in apprehension. Fear flitted through me like a caged bird and my legs ached to go faster, past my body's limit. This was my only chance. Screw this up, and I was surely fated to a life of a prisoner. If I could only get to the end of the street. At the end of the street there were numerous turnoffs, and they would never be able to know which way I had gone. I had too much of a head start. "Stop!" I could hear her cry. "Come back!"

As if. She could live her merry little life without me — marry that freak for all I cared, and have lots of little hideous pirate children.

Suddenly, there was a cast iron pan outstretched in front of my face.

I ran into it.

And then there was darkness.

U n d e r T h e B r a v e B l a c k F l a g I F l y

Chapter nine.

Chapter nine!

CHAPTER NINE!

Do you know what that means? I'm only ONE away from breaking ten. And then I will be setting a new record for myself! I have never made it past the first ten chapters of a story! Are you guys proud of me? Huh? Are yah? Are yah?

I hope that none of you are still sour from my little joke. _I _thought it was funny. I've started a death threat collection! XD

So, sorry for taking an eternity to update. I've been very busy lately. And there was little boys in my downstairs and I couldn't write, otherwise I probably would have been able to update sooner. Yes, I require an entire floor to myself to write. Is what I said. Got a problem with that? But I've got two words for you that will (hopefully) cause for celebration: SPRING. BREAK. And, provided that I don't loose that writers diarrhea that I feel coming on, I'll be able to update frequently this week.

Sasuke is stoopid. And Naruto is a chatterbox. Holy cow. And Sakura is in denial! De Nile! In Africa! I hope she knows how to swim. Tsunade is perceptive. Uh-huh. Sasuke got hit in the head with a pan! I've always wanted to hit Sasuke in the head with a pan...

So, um, whoever can guess who hit Sasuke over the head with a frying pan will get chapter ten dedicated to them! (Because there's little else I can do besides that.) Sound good?

Btw, I'm not updating until a reach a certain amount of reviews. But this time I'm going to be REALLY evil, and not tell you what that certain amount of reviews is going to be! BWAHAHAHAA. Review away, my pretties! Review away...!

And send in those suggestions for who hit Sasuke over the head with a frying pan! First one to get it wins!


	10. Calm Before The Storm

A n d T h o u S h a l t R e i g n Q u e e n  
A n d T h y E m p i r e S h a l l L a s t

"Oh, thank you... Thank you so much, sir. I can never begin to express how much..." She was out of breath, panting, clutching her chest in one hand and her hat to her head in the other. It had nearly been blown off at the desperate speed she had been running at while she chased after Sasuke, who now lay in a heap on the ground, a rivulet of blood running from his hairline. Her heart still pounded loudly in her chest and her fingers trembled. The frenzied state of panic her mind was in was slowly starting to wash away, replaced by unconditional relief. He had nearly escaped. He would have, if it had not been for the kindly intervening stranger.

His slanted eyes were closed and his thin lips turned up in a smile that looked far from heart-felt. In one hand he held a paint brush, in the other the pan that had dealt the blow, speckled with blood, which he had apparently borrowed from a neighboring blacksmith, who was demanding its return. He passed it loftily into their hands without so much as looking at them. "No, it wasn't much of a big deal. It seemed that I caused more damage than help, however. Is he quite alright? I thought he was a thief, you see. We get a fair bit of those around here."

"He's breathing — he's fine." Sakura said, nudging his motionless body with the toe of her boot. He didn't stir. One by one, the curious onlookers turned their heads away and focused on other business, losing interest in the event and leaving it to be dealt with by those it concerned. "Yes, he is a thief. Or something of a similar sorts. Naruto, would you be so kind as to pick him up? He's stopping the flow of traffic. I guess I can't call him good-for-nothing any longer. He makes a decent road block." Naruto swooped down and pulled Sasuke's limp arm over his shoulder, supporting his weight. He cursed under his breath and swayed before finding his footing again.

The man chuckled lightly. "Might I have the name of my savior?" Sakura asked, looking over her shoulder and sending a bitter glare at Sasuke, regardless of the fact he wasn't conscious to receive it. He just had to try to run, didn't he? Run and nearly spoil everything she had been working so hard towards. It was a good thing that this man was here to stop him, too, for she dreaded to think of the consequences if he had actually managed to escape. Coincidence was on her side this time. Because Sakura never really had been one to believe in fate. "And if there is anything I could do for you at all, please, just name it..."

"Sai." He replied, opening his eyelids and revealing the flat, black orbs that were hidden behind them. "Just Sai. No surname. And I believe that yes, there is something you can do for me — Captain..."

**C h a p t e r X**

_Calm Before The Storm_

Needless to say, I woke up with an impressive headache. I ventured to open my eyes, but pinched them shut tightly together immediately afterwards, drawing back into the pillow beneath my head and trying to fight the flash of blaring light off of the back of my eyelids. I lay perfectly still until the throbbing in my head had subsided some, and then let out a low, agonized groan. Not only because of the unbearably sharp sting that ran from one temple to the other, but because I realized that I was back on the boat.

"Well that's what you get for trying to run away." I didn't need to open my eyes to know the person whose voice that belonged to. I would know that arrogant tone anywhere. "After all I've done for you. You've got what you deserved, you ingrate, and I don't feel the slightest pity for you. After all I've done for you, you still try to run away. You're a hopeless case, and every day I get closer to killing you myself every day, for all the trouble you're worth." Her less-than-dulcet voice did little to ease my splitting headache.

I interrupted her rant with a rude scoff. "All you've done for me? Oh, you imprisoned and enslaved me, and have, as a matter of fact, nearly killed me several times already. How _grand_ of you." I peeked one eye open carefully, letting it adjust to the light, and then the other. I was lying in my cot, and she had pulled a chair beside it and sat on its edge in an unladylike manner, her knees agape, elbows propped up on them. Instead of looking as furious as I had expected her to look after my comments, she seemed merely annoyed, and shook her head back and forth.

"I am _not_ in the mood to deal with you right now, Sasuke." She said. And there was something in the way she said it that I took offense to, as if she were hinting that I was not worth her time — as if she were too superior — and it irked me. But try as I might, I could not come up with a reasonably intelligent sounding response. Anything that I could say at this point in time would sound infantile. She heaved herself up and made for the door, acting uncharacteristically calm, and left her quarters without paying any mind to the glower I sent her.

I sat upright with difficulty and cautiously examined my forehead with my fingers, feeling along the tightly wrapped bandages and wincing when they passed over where the frying pan had connected with my head. Sakura had more than likely been the one to dress my wounds, as per usual, and that too, bothered me. I didn't want to feel gratitude towards her. I was in a bitter mood, (which could probably be credited to my lack of success in my attempted escape,) and was more than perfectly content to direct all of that into resentful feelings towards Sakura, who seemed to be the pinpoint of all my troubles. I sighed loudly and spun my legs around and off the bed, and stood up, using the side of the mattress for support.

After rummaging around for a fresh set of clothing and doing my best to finger-comb through my matted hair, I set out onto the deck and scanned over the bodies that were scurrying across it, searching for anything of interest and something to keep myself busy with, seeing as I was no longer permitted to work in the kitchen with the condition of my hand, which was beginning to sting a little less, but was still very tender. We were still anchored and had not left the port, and nearly the entirety of the crew was caught up in loading crates of potatoes below the deck and into storage.

The few of whom were not involved were Ino, Tenten, and Hinata — who I spotted sitting off to the helm. Ino was picking the dirt out from under her fingernails while she pretended to listen to Tenten, nodding and 'uh-huh'-ing occasionally when called for, while Tenten babbled on incessantly, her gaze focused on and never leaving one of the men hauling potatoes; I couldn't tell which. Hinata stood with them and stared at the toes of her shoes which barely peeked out of the skirt of her dress, which had already become tattered and dirty, contributing to the conversation in quiet, short mumbles. Seeing as I saw nothing better to do at the time, I started towards them.

It was Ino who noticed my approaching them first. She looked up and her face split into a flirtatious smile. She batted her eyelashes. "Oh, Lieutenant!" She exclaimed, catching the attention of the other two. Hinata's head shot upwards, and Tenten only met my eyes briefly before directing her stare back to where it had been beforehand. "I see you're finally awake. You've had quite a nasty hit, from what I've heard. Are you feeling alright now?"

I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks. I was well aware that news spread quickly around the ship, and there was nothing secret and nothing sacred, but it did little to take away from the humiliation. I quickly turned my head away in hopes that it would hide the flush in my face. It did not go unnoticed by Ino, who giggled and twisted her ponytail around her fingers. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Tenten, who still had yet to peel her eyes aware for more than a second from whoever it was she was watching so intently. "Ah..." She sighed lightheartedly. "Look, you can see his muscles rippling under his shirt..."

I was curious as to who, but not curious enough to voice it to her. But there was no need in the first place, because Ino answered for me. "I'm sure Hinata doesn't appreciate you speaking of her cousin like a piece of meat." Hinata reddened and fiddled with her fingers nervously, her lips pursing together. Ino squealed. "Oh, Hinata! You're just the most darling thing! Lieutenant Uchiha is a lucky man, aren't you?"

I didn't respond. "But you may be up for a little healthy competition, Lieutenant." Ino continued. "Because perhaps its the first mate who is the really lucky one...?"

Hinata let out a gasp and looked to me instinctively to observe my response, her off-white eyes widening in horror and her face paling several shades. My hand closed into a fist, but I made no noticeable indication that I was affected by Ino's comment. "That does not concern me." I said stiffly. "Nor does it concern you, for that matter. If I felt that he posed any serious threat to our relationship, I would deal with it." My Fiancée's shoulders sagged in relief, but even so, she could no longer bring herself to meet my eye. I could feel the atmosphere grow a bit awkward, with the exception of Tenten, who continued to gawk at Neji shamelessly, and made for a quick topic change. "Where is Sa-- The Captain?" I corrected myself.

"Hmmmm?" Ino grinned mischievously. I sent her a warning glance, and could almost see the suggestive comment that she nearly made about the Captain and I swallowed back down her throat. She looked disappointed. "Well you see, about that — It's a little odd, actually. Suspicious. The gentleman who was kind enough to smack you upside the head with a frying pan--" She unsuccessfully tried to say that part with a straight face. I glared. "Recognized the Captain and told her that he wanted to become a part of the crew. Well, she thought it was strange, too, but she couldn't very well let him roam around the port letting everybody know who she was, she she agreed to take him aboard for the time being to discuss, and nothing more. She's chatting with him in the kitchen as we speak."

My brows drew together as I thought the story over. So whoever it was had recognized Sakura as Captain Hokage and stopped me (I decided that I didn't like him,) and then volunteered to join her? That was odd, indeed. It was possible that he shared similar ideals to her, but unlikely. Before I had been taken prisoner on the ship I had known little about Captain Hokage myself — in fact, I had thought it nothing more than a fable. The Captain had always been a mystery to outsiders. No ordinary person who know of her, or in their case, what they probably _still_ thought was _his_, existence, let alone beliefs and traditions.

I thanked Ino for her information and bid the three of them a good day before venturing towards the kitchen. I weaved through the assembly line of crate-carrying bodies and jumped down the few stairs leading into the kitchen. The more time I spent on a ship, the easier it was becoming to move around on it. The nausea was starting to vanish completely. I controlled my landing as much as possible, but my headache still screamed in protest. I took a moment or two to steady myself.

The first person to come into my sight was Lee, who was coincidentally the first person whose sight I came into. His face crumpled up into an ugly expression, his lips puckered together like he had eaten something too sour and his wild, bushy eyebrows scrunched up and drawn together. "Already up and about, Lieutenant Uchiha?" He spat. "I take it you're feeling better?"

"Not really." I replied truthfully. It was really my pride that was hurt, more than anything. Lee set a wooden spoon down on the counter, a little too forcefully.

"You deserve it." He said. "After all the generous Captain has done for you..." I winced internally. The last thing I was in a mood for was another lecture. He kept his back turned to me, his shoulders tense. "You still try to run away and betray her trust! You are undeserving of the fair Captain's heart! I will never lose to you, traitorous fiend!" He whirred around and pointed the wooden spoon at my face. A bit of spittle flew from the corner of his mouth. I was unimpressed.

"Where is the Captain?" I asked. "I heard she was down here." He was obviously put off by my unwillingness to cooperate and accept his challenge with equal enthusiasm, and returned to the dishes he was washing, plunging the spoon into the soapy sink, and gesturing to the back with his thumb. I nodded and went the way he had pointed.

Sakura was seated at a small table across from a unnaturally pale, well dressed, dark-haired man — an untouched glass of wine in front of either of them. She had her hands folded on the table, motionless. Her back was facing me, but I could tell by the way she carried herself that her expression was stern. The pale man looked up and smiled at me. There was something unnerving about his smile that made my gut twist uncomfortably — that instinctively told me he was untrustworthy. "Ah, from earlier--" He began.

"Oh, yes. You're the one who I have to kill later." I growled, narrowing my eyes. His false expression was unwavering. Sakura's head snapped over her shoulder, and upon seeing me, she let out a low, irritated hiss.

"Did I say you could be out of bed yet?" She demanded. "Maybe I should have locked you back up in the brig after what you did, just to spite you. In case you hadn't noticed, we're in the middle of a conversation. Leave." I stood my ground. She waited, her eyes boring into mine, revealing nothing but the fact that she was deadly serious. Regardless, I did not relent. I did not move. She pushed her chair back and was half standing up when the man raised a hand a gestured for her to stop.

"Please," He said. "We were almost finished anyway, Captain. No need for trouble." She huffed indignantly to voice her displeasure, but complied to his request and reseated herself. "In fact, I believe that all I need is your approval of my bargain, and we can be finished here." I sent a confused look from Sakura to the pale man, and then back to Sakura.

"Fine." She snapped. "You can have Sasuke's job, seeing as he's rendered himself too useless to do it right now." I opened my mouth to inquire as to what was going on, but Sakura was already on her feet and storming out of the kitchen, brushing past me roughly. "If you've got any questions, ask Sasuke or track down my first mate, Naruto." She finished, pausing in doorway before climbing up the stairs and above the deck. I hesitated a moment before chasing after her, and the man followed right behind me, keeping a few paces distance between us. I paid him no attention.

By the time I had surfaced above deck, Sakura was already half-way to the Captain's quarters, walking as fast as humanly possible. It might have been that she was in a hurry to find someone, but I couldn't help but feel that it was in an attempt to avoid me at all costs — she was obviously angry with me, which was pretty routine most of the time, as we were hardly ever in good terms with one another — but it seemed that today she was especially mad. Her effort to steer clear of me would be in vain. I wanted to be informed about the dark haired person who still trailed after me, slowly getting closer. I wanted to know who he was and what he wanted, and I wanted to hear it from her and no one else.

"Hey!" I called after her loudly, gaining the attention of every person on the deck, including her. She span, furious, and sucked in a deep breath that would more than likely be used to yell at me — but before she had the chance, the man reached forwards and grabbed onto my shoulder, halting me. I half-turned towards him and tried to brush off his grasp, letting out an annoyed grunt. "Can I help you?" I demanded.

He did not reply, but instead merely removed his hand from my shoulder and took off the black glove that sheathed it, one finger at a time, and struck me across the face with it.

I struggled to keep my breathing steady, as it was starting to grow shaky after the rage had a while to simmer in my system. "Someone get me a sword." I managed to force out through gritted teeth in sharp, controlled syllables. Even though I hadn't spoken very loudly, it was enough for the entire crew to hear me. They had fallen as silent as the grave as soon as his glove had made contact with my face, and were watching the scene unfold with the utmost interest. Sakura no longer looked ready to kill, I noted, but rather immensely amused — another reason that I was determined to show this stranger the mistake he had made in crossing me once and the defeat he would face in crossing me twice.

Someone must have gotten the idea that I was in no joking mood, for they started to scurry about in search of the nearest weapon. "Don't anybody give him a sword!" Sakura called, and they froze in their places. "Unless you want to be the one to try to get it back from him afterwards." Her eyes were fixed on me, waiting to see what I would do, how I would react. She was sadistic. She loved to make everything more difficult for me than it had to be.

"Fine." I said coolly as I looked away from her and into the passive face of my opponent. "Someone get me a _stick_. Anything!" I was met by hushed chuckles and uncertain faces. Somewhere, somebody called and asked if I was serious.

"Humor him." Sakura replied for me, a grin breaking through her features. "Come on, now, let him defend whatever shred of dignity he has deluded himself into believing that he has left. Somebody fetch him a good stick!" She laughed loudly and met my glare with mirthful olive eyes that seemed much too gentle to suit her personality. "And get our newest crew member a sword while you're at it. Where's Naruto gone off to? Useless piece of..." She trailed off, mumbling to herself.

They met her requests with haste, and it was not until I had been passed the stick I had asked for that I realized another factor I had not taken into consideration that put me at a serious disadvantage — I had injured my good hand interfering with the swipe that Neji had tried to take at Sakura. Nevertheless, there was no way that I could step down now. I weighed it in my right hand before deciding that it was useless, even if I could bear with the pain my precision would be too off. I switched it into the left. Sakura laughed louder, and my opponent quirked a brow.

I slipped into ready position and he mimicked me. He lunged first, too carelessly and too unguarded, and with a quick swipe at the base of his sword I had him knocked off balance. After that, it was easy enough to start pushing him — he was leaving too many openings and closing them too clumsily. It wasn't that he had poor swordsmanship, but it was only average. He scowled, possibly the first time that I had seen a genuine expression on his face. Drops of perspiration were already forming on his forehead.

Another few jabs and a finishing blow that I brought down on his wrist, gently enough not to do any permanent damage, and his sword was flying out of his hand. Awed whispers swept through the audience. If he had felt any shame in being beaten by me, using my unfavored hand and a stick, he showed none of it in his face. Instead his false, unsettling smile had been returned to his features. "You truly are as impressive as they say you are..." He said. My curiosity was immediately peaked, but before I had the chance to ask him what he had meant by it, my attention was drawn away by the approaching of the Captain as she unsheathed the sword that hung from her belt.

She knocked it against my makeshift weapon in challenge. My jaw clenched.

As difficult as it was to step away from a fight, especially one offered by her — there was no way that I could match someone of her level under my circumstances, and she knew that. What she was trying to prove in doing this was beyond me, but whatever it was, she had achieved it. Refusing to meet her eyes, afraid of what I'd find there, I tossed down the temporary replacement for my sword and backed away.

I retreated to the Captain's quarters to escape the aftermath and was suddenly overcome by exhaustion that had not been there only minutes earlier, and succumbed to the desire to sleep. The last two thoughts that my mind entertained before I lost myself to unconsciousness were mental notes to remember that the imposing stranger on the ship was untrustworthy and hiding something, and to restart the search for my sword.

T i l l T h e B l a c k F l a g B y I n c h e s  
I s T o r n F r o m T h e M a s t

... Okay, so I haven't updated in... forever. But at least I forced another chapter out, instead of giving up the idea entirely and scrapping all my stories. It took like.. three months for the writers block to pass, but now its gone, and I've got something to show for it. Even though its short and late, I hope it will do!

I MADE IT TO CHAPTER TEEEEN! -throws confetti in all of your faces- This is cerious cause for celebration, mates. I'm telling you. I have never made it to chapter ten of a story, ever. So I'm feeling pretty proud of myself right now.

And, as promised, I'll dedicate the chapter to the person who guessed who hit Sasuke in the head with a frying pan, even though it was after severe hinting and many, many guesses (I give this person kudos for being so very persistent) : kt.1z.awesome. CONGRATS, KT! It may be somewhat of a lame prize... But it was a lame competition in the first place.

I can't gaurantee when the next update will be, but it will hopefully take less time to get out than this one did. Hopefully. Just keep reviewing, please! It will definitely help the process along! Thank you for all of those who have stuck with me so far!


	11. Buried Treasure

A n d M a n y S h i p s I F o u n d

She had been kept much too busy to notice the absence of the Lieutenant until long after his original disappearance. Aside from the time and effort it took to settle a new crew member, the waters were unusually restless and the ship needed a bit more attention to maintain than was usually required. Even Shikamaru had temporarily forsaken the task of cloud gazing to help keep the vessel in order, and despite all his reflectance and murmuring, he too was supplying his fair share of labor. And to add to the stress of Sakura's occupation, they had veered slightly off course due to Naruto's being so easily distracted by Hinata – a mistake that required several hours to correct.

It had been thoughts of Kakashi that lead to her realization of a lack of Sasuke's presence. She was mulling over the fact that she hadn't the chance to bid her old comrade farewell before he had departed, with all the commotion of Sasuke's attempted escape and the unorthodox circumstances in which the newest member of the crew had been welcomed into their midst, (she did not trust this Sai character, not in the slightest,) he must have slipped into the port unnoticed. And he must have gone, because if he were still aboard the ship, surely she would have spotted him by then. While her mind was on the topic of whom she had and hadn't seen face of recently, she was reminded of Sasuke.

She immediately took off in search of him, expecting to find him up to some form of mischief or another, which was common when she left him unattended to for more than a few moments. She first tried the kitchen, to be met by a cheerful Lee, hoping that she would perhaps keep him company for a while. Upon finding that likewise, Lee had not seen Sasuke for hours, she was unhesitating to disappoint. The only person she cared about finding company with at the present was the missing Lieutenant Uchiha. She did take the time, however, to check in briefly on Sai, who was peeling potatoes as commanded. She noted that he had not done half as satisfactory a job as Sasuke.

Regardless of Lee's multiple attempts at interesting the Captain in something that would persuade her to stay, she soon after wards returned above deck to search her quarters. She had taken special care, after finding him looting through her belongings multiple times, to remove anything that she did not want Sasuke getting his hands on. Even if he had decided to nosy through her room again, which he should have known better than to try at this point, he would be let down and find nothing worthwhile. She quickly made her way to her cabin and flung open the doors, expectant to find that he had once again taken apart half of her bedroom in a quest for something or other he wouldn't succeed in finding. Instead, she found him fast asleep in his cot.

She was startled, to say the least. Of course, she had been around him quite a bit while he slept, whether it was because she was nursing him back to health or simply because it was unavoidable due to their sharing a room – but she had never seen him sleep with such ease, so unguarded and so restful. Usually he fidgeted or kicked, or on occasion, when he was ill, groaned. Now he lay perfectly still aside from the evenly timed rise and fall of his chest and an infrequent twitch in his agape lips. She released the breath that she hadn't been aware that she was holding and took a cautious step forwards to see him easier, staring at him in astonishment.

She couldn't deny that the lieutenant was a handsome man. His features were an odd mixture of both strong and delicate: A hard, shapely jawline, high cheekbones, long, dark eyelashes. She was unaccustomed to seeing his face when it was not drawn into a permanent scowl. Now his expression was relaxed and gentle. Thoughtlessly, she extended a hand to brush locks of dark hair out of his eyes and let her fingers rest tenderly against his forehead, still bandaged where the frying pan had left its mark. A sigh escaped her lips, and with no explicable cause, she was smiling.

She experienced a sudden, uncalled for recollection of the conversation she had with Tsunade earlier, and abruptly recoiled her hand as quickly as though a jolt of electricity had been sent through it. Sakura's face flushed several shades deeper and the unnameable expression that she had looked upon Sasuke with was contorted into a glower. Love was the accursed word that Tsunade had uttered. Such a thing she dared suggest! How such an idea could be born into such a sensible head was something that was beyond Sakura's comprehension. Love, indeed! If anything, the feelings that she harnessed towards the Lieutenant were the exact opposite.

As if to proof this precise point to herself, she decided to be intentionally cruel. She bent and raised one end of the cot, a task which was not easily accomplished, because although Sasuke was slender, he was sturdy – and dumped the sleeping man out of his bed. He hit the floor hard and awoke with a discontented squawk. After untangling himself from a mess of blankets, he sent her a hearty glare with those piercing charcoal eyes of his. Her heart skipped a beat. "I'm sorry!" She spluttered in a fluster, torn between rage and embarrassment. "Were you sleeping there? I didn't see you!"

She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room with a huff. Love! The very idea! How utterly absurd, she thought.

Unfortunately, the only two people she had succeeding in fooling of this thus far were herself and the very man she thought herself to loathe, and the former wouldn't be fooled much longer.

**C h a p t e r X I**

_Treasure Hunt_

After a rather rude awakening, I was in no mood to do much of anything but sit on my bed and be angry at the Captain, whom I had unknowingly upset in some way or another and who had decided to extract revenge upon me by throwing me half across the room while I slept. After brooding for a sufficient amount of time, however, I regained control over the seething, angry beast that was my temper and was filled with a renewed sense or purpose. I reminded myself that I had two goals that were to be attended to immediately – first, it was essential that I find my sword, or, alternatively, steal that of another's. My second priority was to investigate the gentleman who had both smacked me in the face with cookware and a glove, acts which I had yet to repay, who had made a rather intriguing comment after I had bested him at fencing. It was apparent that he was aware of my reputation of a swordsmen, something not many common-folk would be familiar with, and he had made a vague reference to a 'they.' And where a 'they' is concerned, there is most certainly always a scandal.

I pushed off the edge of the bed and peered into the vanity mirror set atop the dresser unit in a corner of the Captains room. The proof of its neglect was a screen of dust that had settled on its surface, if her dirty and uncared for appearance wasn't enough evidence that Sakura rarely took time to look in it. I wiped the mirror clean with the sleeve of my shirt and studied my reflection, trying to force my untidy hair back into order by running my fingers through the tangles and ruffling it every so often so it would settle naturally into place. Content that I looked somewhat more presentable, I next searched for the clean change of clothes that was kept by my cot for when needed. These were a better fit than a last, and a good deal more comfortable. Too casual, perhaps, than what I was used to – but I was fairly certain that my uniform had been tossed into the sea shortly after my arrival due to the negative opinion that the people on the ship shared of the military, the Captain in particular.

It was the middle of the day when I set foot onto the deck, and the sun was dead center in the sky and bearing down without constraint on the backs of the crew who toiled to keep the ship in peek condition. I caught sight of Neji as he sunk down to the spot of deck that he had just finished scrubbing and wiped his forehead with the wet cloth clenched in his hand. His eyes met mine, and he glared at me, as though to say, "Why do you get to stay in bed all morning while I'm out here working away my weight in sweat?" I felt a momentary pang of guilt, as I was not a particularly slothful person, and it seemed unjust that I should leave the work to others while I pursued something of my own interest – the condition of my hand irrelevant. But freeing myself and the Hyuugas from the captivity of pirates, and if possible abducting their Captain so she could be safely returned to the society in which she belonged, took priority over being fair at the time being.

The Captain was nowhere in sight, which was magnificently opportune, as she would more than likely become aware of my intentions when I began to ask around. I would begin with Naruto, of course, as I had decided earlier that I would have the best chance of finding the whereabouts of my sword when asking him. There were few people on the ship, that I knew of, that Sakura keep company and confidentiality with more than the loud-mouthed pirate, her ever loyal second-in-command. Naruto wasn't the brightest of the bunch, either, and if it was in fact the case that he had been intrusted with the task of hiding my sword, which I suspected, it wouldn't be too difficult to cause him to slip up and reveal a hint or two.

Naruto was not a difficult person to locate. His coarse voice carried like nothing else, and I could hear him at the helm, boasting to some of his fellow men that he had once laid siege to a military vessel single-handedly. His companions seemed as unconvinced as I was, in spite of Naruto's efforts to convince them otherwise. I inhaled and silently prayed that god would grant me the patience to deal with him. Snapping his neck, however appealing the idea seemed, would not gain me any information on my weapon. I approached, cutting through the group of men he surrounded himself with, who parted for me willingly, and addressed him. "A word, please, if your friends would be so polite as to give us some privacy?"

The other crew members did not need a second hint. They scurried away to return to their designated tasks without any further encouragement, and Naruto, looking as confused as he looked curious, and I were left alone. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He inquired, a grin spreading across his whiskered cheeks. He clapped my shoulder in what I supposed was a playful manner, but it caused me to desire that I could pluck out his eyeballs. I struggled to keep a straight face. "Finally come to me for advice? I knew you'd warm up to me eventually."

Ha, I thought to myself, the chances of either happening were slim to none. But he had given me something I could work with, and I wasn't going to wait for a better conversation-starter. "... Something of the sorts..." I replied hesitantly, taking time to choose my words carefully. To appeal to his vanity and pride would be the easiest way of achieving that which I wished to accomplish, I decided. "You're on quite good terms with the Captain, I'm aware..." I began. His face went blank, as though he couldn't see where my words were leading. "Would you say she trusts you?"

My question had just the effect that I had hoped for. His face was lit with color, and he seemed awfully pleased with himself as he answered. "Wholeheartedly! I'm one of the few people she's said can leave, you know, the ship, whenever they please! Just waltz off willy-nilly, I can. And I know her name and everything, just like you. Why she would tell you, of all people, though, I don't get." It was an amusing spectacle to watch his face as he spoke – he repeatedly switched between drastic facial expressions. One moment he looked ecstatic, and now, downtrodden. He was obviously unimpressed that the Captain had also decided to share her identity (although she didn't really share it so much as accidentally reveal it) with me as well as him. "When did she tell you, anyway?"

I was not going to stand for having the interrogation turned on me, so I quickly stated the answer to his question before beginning to ask one of my own. "She didn't tell me. I found out. We are old acquaintances, and I happened to recognize her one day. Now, what sort of things does the Captain--"

As if I hadn't immediately started into a change of topic, and had left my reply wide open for discussion, he completely disregarded the fact that I was still speaking and interrupted me with a loud, unintelligible sound. I immediately regretted telling him the truth. The thought hadn't struck me that the knowledge of our previous relationship might be found as fascinating to anyone, but now that I considered it, I suppose it was a rather interesting story – just not one that I was willing to tell someone. "What? What do you mean, old acquaintances? As in you knew her before she joined the crew? How?"

The mere thought of anyone discovering the fact that she and I were engaged once upon a time – and were perhaps _technically_ still engaged, was enough to make my face flush. This, unfortunately, did not escape Naruto's notice. "Why are you turning red?" He asked. I avoided his imploring gaze, staring at the wooden planks under my feet. I could all but hear the impish smile work its way across his features. "What is it? Tell me!"

"Never mind! It's none of your concern!" I spat. He opened his mouth, likely to debate my response, but I didn't give him the chance to speak. "Now, as I was saying. As someone who the Captain regards as reliable, what sort of tasks does she entrust--"

I had managed to distract him from prying further into the history between Sakrua and I, but not in the way I had hoped. There was a flicker of intelligence in his eyes, and he then proceeded to openly accuse me of what he had come to suspect. "I know what you're getting at!" I sorely hoped he didn't, otherwise he would be a great deal less dense than I had measured him to be, and that would make the task at hand all the more difficult. Unfortunately, for once, he managed to surpass my expectations. "You're on the hunt for your sword! The Captain warned me that this would eventually happen, that she did. Ha! Tell you what, you tell me what relations you had with our lady Captain back then, and I'll tell you what I know about your sword."

I certainly hadn't expected him to make such an offer. It was suspicious, certainly, that he would be willing to betray Sakura's confidence just for a bit of trivia, but maybe he was not quite so trustworthy as the Captain had gathered. I weighed the benefits and drawbacks of such an arrangement in my head. I felt that I would rather die than reveal the details of our engagement, but was it really worth keeping them secret when a chance at my freedom was offered to me on a silver platter? "How do I know you'll keep your word?" I asked with skepticism.

He placed his hand at his heart in an over-exaggerated motion. "I swear on my honor as a former solider that I will reveal all and any information on the hiding place of your weapon if you tell me the story behind the Captain and yourself." He said, and he sounded honest enough to me. Besides, I could hardly argue with the honor of one serving the crown, even if they no longer did so, and even if they were, at present, a pirate.

Before I had the time to change my mind, I blurted: "Sakura and I were to be married." His mouth hung open in a perfect "O". He blinked a few times as the words settled in his head, and then his expression twisted into something unidentifiable – an odd mixture of mortification, amusement, and fear. "You mustn't tell anyone, not even Sakura, what I've told you. You understand? Otherwise, I will disembowel you. You have not experienced such pain as I will inflict on you, if you breath a word of this to anyone. Now, keep your end of the bargain. Where have you hidden my sword?"

He didn't answer at first, and simply continued to stare at me with his mouth agape, letting loose a few disturbed laughs. "Married?" He repeated incredulously, eyebrows high. "Engaged? You two?"

"You made me a promise." I growled, lowering my voice to a dangerous, warning tone. I was beginning to think hadn't any intention of telling me in the first place, and was now trying to dodge around it by acting dumbfounded by my revelation. "My sword, Uzumaki. What have you done with it?" I repeated, and this was the last time I would ask. If necessary, I would move on to more violent means of obtaining the intelligence I desired.

"Oh, right!" He exclaimed. "I haven't done anything with it! I know nothing about it at all aside from that Sakura has given it to someone to hide, and that person is not myself." When he finished speaking he smiled at me smugly before doing the only smart thing I had seen him do since our meeting, and he fled out of my grasp. I came after him, but by the time I had forced my way through the numerous onlookers barring my path, he was already safely behind a locked door. I smashed my fist against the door that separated us and muttered curses at him under my breath. From the other side, I could hear him laughing. "Engaged!" He cried in between 'ha!'s.

I had been deceived. He had led me on to believe that he was the sole person who knew of the hiding place of my sword in order to extract a humiliating secret from me. Possibly, he was more clever than I gave him credit for. Not that I would ever admit it out loud. I made a note to disfigure him beyond recognition at a later date – today, I was too busy to deal with him, and I was most certainly too furious. If I indulged in my anger, it would more than likely lead to a mass slaughter of innocent bystanders.

I had already considered that it would be easier for me to acquire another weapon rather than relocate my own, but I had grown severely attached to my sword, and could no sooner leave it behind than I could Hinata. Besides, I was not so easily deterred. I prided myself in the fact that I was not quick to quit. One way or another, I would see to it that my weapon was safely in my hands before I made my escape.

I was beginning to think that Naruto was too obvious a choice. Sakura was by no means a fool, and probably would have figured I would search Naruto first if and when I decided to reclaim what she had taken from me. It would have to be someone else whom she held in high regard, but wouldn't expect me to ask. I searched the faces of the crew, judging their potential, and dismissing them quickly, until my eyes found Ino. She was too flirtatious and irritating for me to want to seek company with regularly, and surely the Captain must have realized this. Because I normally would have avoided a person such as Ino at every available turn, it made her a perfect candidate.

There was no need for me to announce my presence, she noticed me coming towards her right away. "Afternoon, Solider." She called. "And how are we feeling today? It looks like the swelling has gone down." She gestured towards my bandaged forehead. I would have been appreciative of her concern if it wasn't meant in a teasing way, or if it hadn't reminded me of my embarrassing injury. I tried to conceal a frown.

"I'm doing well." I replied for the sake of courtesy. I planned to be straightforward with her – to avoid getting myself into a similar situation as the one I was in with Naruto, and I made no delay in getting to my point. "I didn't walk this way for pleasantries, however. Did the Captain give you my sword to hide?"

She didn't bat an eyelash. "If I were, what makes you suppose I would tell you?" She asked with a playful smirk, shifting her weight from one foot to another in a dramatic display of swishing her hips. Even though it was for my benefit, I paid her motions no notice. She did have a point – few would openly admit that they had been entrusted with the task of stashing my possessions. But what she would not reveal in her words, however, I hoped she would reveal in her actions. She showed no indication of being guilty of my suspicions, but I still couldn't be sure.

"Doesn't hurt to try." I replied in a hard, flat voice. Truthfully, as proved by my previous attempt with Naruto, it _could _be harmful to try.

She looked one direction, then the other, then back and forth again in a shifty, overly cautious way. She pursed her lips together, then beckoned me closer with her index finger. I more than willingly obliged, eager to hear what I hoped would put and end to my search, which had proved to be fruitless so far. I bent in closer, and she did likewise, and while I expected her to whisper something worthwhile in my ear, she instead grabbed my face in between either of her hands and planted a sloppy kiss on my mouth.

I tore away from her with much indignity, and she threw her head back and howled with laughter. I tried to think of something intelligent and reprimanding to say, but came up blank. Was I cursed to have every endeavor I made in hopes of locating my weapon end in humiliation? It was certainly beginning to seem that way. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and Ino's laughing, without any warning, came to a dead halt. She had blanched, and her wides eyes were fixated on something over my shoulder. I turned to see what she was staring at the find the Captain standing behind us, looking ravenous, startled, and like she was about to cry, all at the same time.

She slapped me. Her bare hand flew across my face with enough force to leave a serious bruise, and my head snapped in the direction which she had forced it. She seemed as equally surprised about the fact that she had hit me as I was, and alternated between gawking at her hand in disbelief and watching the red mark form on my cheek. By now, not a single pair of eyes belonging to a person atop the deck were not glued to us. No one spoke. No one dared to so much as breathe.

If I had thought her behavior earlier today strange – now I thought it perfectly and entirely peculiar. I had been warned many a time that a woman can be unpredictable, but I had never expected such unpredictability as this, and certainly not from the Captain, who although complex, was very stable and rarely steered away from her natural way of behaving.

If it were not odd enough that she seemed shaken by her own actions, instead of reverting back to anger, as would be appropriate and habitual of her, she all the sudden became uncharacteristically timid. Her face turned red from the base of her neck to her hairline, and she scurried away and made a beeline for her quarters. My eyes followed her figure until it disappeared behind the door to her room, which was slammed shut and finally broke the silence that had fallen over the entire vessel. Slowly, one by one, people resumed their work. I looked at Ino, both to hopefully find some answer from her and send her a nasty look for having caused this whole mess. For once, she chose to ignore me, and wordlessly walked off to find something or other to busy herself with.

Even Naruto had emerged from his hiding place to discover the source of all the commotion. He looked as bamboozled as the rest of us, and stared at me questioningly. Fortunately for him, after Sakura's queer actions, I no longer had the energy to feel like maiming him. Women were completely exhausting. I had barely spoken two words to her – in fact, I hadn't spoken any – today, and yet, she had already dumped me from my cot and slapped me, both with no good reason. My frustration over her was even enough to overcome the disgust I had felt at being kissed by the other woman, whose actions were possibly matched to Sakura's in the category of confusing. Women. How any man could willingly resign himself to marriage was beyond me.

I don't know whether it was by courage or stupidity that I compelled myself, but I made up my mind to go after her and demand to know what wrong I had done her to deserve such treatment. I set off after her, only pausing for a few seconds at the door to reconsider whether or not it was for the best to enter. I quickly tossed away all doubts, and knocked once before making an entrance. She had seated herself on her bed, facing away from me, and was absolutely still. "What on earth..." I began, steadying my voice and squaring my shoulders. As if I could intimidate her. "Is the matter with you today?"

She did not reply, or noticeably move, for that matter. "If I have done something to offend you," I continued, "which I often have no reservations in doing – the least you could do is let me know what it is, per say, that I have offended you about. That way, I could reluctantly apologize, if I should so feel the need, or continue to offend you further, if I should feel the need to do that instead, so that I could at least stand on equal ground to your harsh actions towards me."

Again, she voiced not a word in response. I could feel the anger boiling in my veins, threatening to bubble up over the surface. How childish of her to ignore me. How rude! I much preferred her yelling insults at me to her silence. "And now I am to be ignored, am I? First I am to be tossed from my bed, then I am to be slapped, and now I shall be ignored?" I snapped, stepping towards her. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Of all the times he could have spared me the suffering of listening to the obnoxious sound of your voice, he chooses now? What _fine_ blooding timing!" I was not trying to be overly cruel. I was only trying to provoke her into responding.

She had become as immobile and soundless as a statue. "You are insufferable!" I cried, and finally reached over to grab her chin and force her to look at me, just in time to watch the first tears spill out of the corners of her eyes. Her chest heaved and she sobbed. Her watery green irises, rimmed with red and swollen whites, were directed downwards to avoid meeting my gaze. She was biting her bottom lip, and choking back the following sobs that tried to force their way out. She eventually gave up her futile struggle to keep her cries held back, and fell into a fit of miserable wails.

I was stunned senseless. I did nothing when she grabbed the front of my shirt and pulled herself against my chest, neither push her away or embrace her. When I was capable of gathering coherent thought, I reached out to pat her awkwardly on the head. I let it rest in her hair until after her crying had ceased and she looked up at me in such a way that it caused my breath to hitch. She uncoiled one of her hands from the cloth of my shirt and reached outwards with it to touch my cheek where she had left her mark. She stood on her tip toes, and leaned in towards me, much in the way that her friend had. My heart stopped and restarted. She closed her eyes.

I was honestly convinced she was going to do it, but what surprised me more was that I didn't have it in my mind to stop her.

Instead, she slapped me. Again. Then she put her hands against my shoulders and gave me a firm push, so that I stumbled back against my cot. "I detest you with every ounce of being I possess!" She yelled. "I would rather hang myself than fall in--! F-fall 'n...lo... F-ffaa...!" She turned crimson and began to stammer so terribly that nothing she said was comprehensible any longer, until she shrieked: "BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT!"

I quickly did as told, a good more terrified than I had been in a long while. She was completely unstable and mad. I made a hasty escape, barely avoiding an item flung at my head as I went out the door, shutting it behind me. I looked forwards to find myself face to face with the man who had assaulted me with a frying pan, and jolted in surprise. "Sir," he greeted me with his unconvincing smile. "I've been meaning to speak with you."

"Now is not the time." I said curtly, but truthfully. I was in no state of mind to deal with anybody sensibly at the moment, I was still much too staggered by what had just transpired between myself and the Captain – what it had been, I wasn't at all sure. I hadn't the foggiest idea.

"There's no time like the present." He insisted. I sighed in annoyance. "It will only take a moment, if you'd be willing to follow me somewhere more private, the kitchen, perhaps?" I let my shoulders sag in defeat and obliged, trailing after him as he lead the way to the kitchen. I was relieved to find that Lee was nowhere in sight, which was strange, because he rarely left the confines of the kitchen or stopped for a moment's break from working. The man, Sai, I believe it was – continued into the back, where not another soul was to be seen or heard from, before opening his mouth to speak.

"Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the manner in which I stopped you in the market place the other day. You see, I needed to find some way of obtaining the Captain's attention, and you presented me with a good opportunity to do so." I didn't interrupt him, and he went on. "Secondly, I'd like to clarify that I meant you no offense by challenging you to a duel. I, of course, have heard much of your fencing talent, and only wished to see if it was truly what it was appraised to be."

His smile spread at noticing my apparent lack of understanding. "I suppose I should explain, shouldn't I?" He added. "The word of your abduction, and that of the Hyuuga heiress and her cousin, has reached many ears. At the port I recognized you at once, and there are few hats less famous than the one the Captain was wearing at the time." He swept into a graceful bow. "Officer Sai, at your service, Lieutenant."

A l l O f T h e m B u r n e d A s I S a i l e d

Ho ho ho. MEEERRRY Christmas.

Or, for those of you who are politically correct: Ho ho ho. HAAAPPPY Holidays.

-Hides behind protectively fortress built to defend against angry readers demanding to know what I've been doing with myself for these many months-

Heh heh heh... HOLY CRAP, LOOK OVER THERE! IT'S CHAPTER ELEVEN! ... Bonzaaaiii? I lurve you all....?


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